This book offers, between the covers of one volume, the varied writings
of H.H. Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj on the subject of Satsanga or holy
company and the related topic of Svadhyaya or daily study of sacred literature.

The second part of the book throws more light on the subject. Therein Swami
Chidanandaji Maharaj analyses in detail the subtle connection and the subtle
distinction between the company of a holy man and the company of the Guru
and points out clearly the circumstances under which Satsanga can prove
most fruitful for the Sadhaka.

It is a slightly abstract subject, but one which is vital for all spiritual
seekers. It is our sincere hope that the pages that follow will open up
a glorious new chapter in the lives of many.

By keeping the company of great Mahatmas, one becomes dispassionate. He
gets Vairagya. He does not like the company of worldly men. Then he develops
the state of Nirmohatva. He becomes free from infatuation or delusion.
Then his mind becomes steady and one-pointed and rests on the Svarupa or
Essence. Then he attains liberation or freedom.

Companionship of the great ones is again difficult of attainment. It is
hardly possible to assign how and when men may be taken into the society
of the great. But once obtained, association with the great ones is infallible
in its operation.

Even the worst rogues are changed into virtuous men only through the association
or Sanga of the seers and sages, as Satsanga is itself an ever-beneficial
joy-giver.

From “Sri Ramacharitamanas” of Goswami Tulasidasji

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Learn wisdom from the saints. They are your saviours. Follow their advice.
They will help you, guide you and lead you to your destined goal.

Turn homeward. Enough of your wanderings in the desert of Samsara. There
are a few oases in this desert and they are the saints. Drink deep from
them and march to the source, your original home.

Satsanga is thy lifeboat. Discrimination is thy compass. Dispassion is
thy anchor. O Captain of the soul! Steer thy ship fearlessly in this ocean
of Samsara and cross to the other shore of immortal life.

The word ‘Satsanga’ is the combination of the two words ‘Sat’ and ‘Sanga.’
‘Sat’ means existence absolute, which is Brahman. ‘Sat’ is the essential
nature of Brahman which is permanent in things that change, which is the
only reality that upholds the world of appearance.

The same ‘Sat,’ with the accidental attributes of omnipresence, omniscience
and omnipotence is called Isvara or Paramatman. In brief, ‘Sat’ refers
to Isvara as well as Brahman, both ultimately being the one and the same
reality.

‘Sanga’ literally means company or union. To be always in the company of
the Lord, or to be established in Brahman, is the literal meaning of the
word ‘Satsanga.’ But, as long as ignorance or Avidya remains, the direct
realisation of Brahman is impossible. When ignorance is destroyed by wisdom,
the real nature reveals itself. This is the highest Satsanga.

The next possibility is to please God so much by our unflinching devotion
that He has to sport with us assuming a gentle form according to our desire,
even as He did in the case of the Gopis. But the means to the realisation
of this blessed end is also called Satsanga or the company of the wise.
The means being essentially not different from the end, is also named after
the end. Because the company of the wise leads to the realisation of Brahman
(with attributes or without attributes), it is also termed as Satsanga.
In this sense, Satsanga means the company of the Satpurushas. Satpurushas
are those who have realised truth as well as those who are aspirants after
truth. Those people who have renounced egoism, greed, lust, etc., are Satpurushas.
Those people who have attained equal vision, balanced mind, unflinching
devotion to the Lord, are Satpurushas. Those people who are endowed with
peace, bliss, contentment, simplicity, fearlessness, humility, powerful
voice, a face beaming with the glow of saintliness, etc., are Satpurushas.

Grace of God Alone Makes Satsanga Possible

It is very, very difficult to come into contact with a Satpurusha or a
saint. It is more so to recognise a saint. A man of worldly Samskaras wants
to weigh the saintliness of a sage by his own conceptional balance, and
finding him lacking in weight, discards him as a false saint and thereby
he does not get the instantaneous benefit arising out of the contact of
the sage. But, even then, the company of the saint exerts an inexorable
influence on the person concerned, which he realises sooner or later. Bhagavan
Narada says in his Bhakti Sutras: “The company of the great is very difficult,
inaccessible, but infallible.”

Companionship of the great ones is difficult of attainment. It is hardly
possible to assign how and when men may be taken into the society of the
great. But, once obtained, association with the great ones is infallible
in its operation. Love of God is obtained principally and undoubtedly by
the grace of the great ones, or in other words, from the touch of divine
compassion. Companionship of the great ones is gained by the grace of God
alone, because there is no distinction between Him and His men.

There is no difference between God and a realised Bhagavata. Both are identical.
A sage is God Himself. The Upanishad declares: “He who knows Brahman becomes
Brahman.” The glow of a sage is infinite and eternal as that of Brahman.

Light on the Relationship Between God and His Devotee

Lord Krishna declares in the Gita: “The same am I to all beings: to Me
there is none hateful or dear; but those who worship Me with devotion are
in Me and I am also in them.” Though the rays of the sun fall equally on
one and all, it is the faces of the diamonds that dazzle more than anything
else. Though a man may possess hundreds of rooms in his house, he delights
only in his drawing room which is well decorated. Even so, though God is
equally for one and all, He manifests more vividly in the heart of a sage,
which is made transparent by purity, which is decorated by the rare jewels
of compassion, mercy, self-control, equal vision and wisdom.

The relationship between God and His devotee has been described in three
ways. Firstly, both are non-different, because a saint has no separate
existence apart from the Lord. The will of the Lord is the will of the
sage. The reflection of the sun has merged in the real sun. The salt-doll
has become one with the ocean. The dew-drop has slipped into the shining
sea. The Jiva has merged in the Lord. When the egoism has vanished, there
is no difference between the Lord and the sage.

From another standpoint, the Lord is considered to be greater than a saint,
because a saint is but the way. One is not satisfied with the Darshan of
a sage; he asks, “O Maharaj! Please show me the way to God-realisation.
How am I to conduct myself for the attainment of the highest Purushartha
or liberation?” This proves that the Lord is greater than the saint. But
this is a relative standpoint. A person still in bondage may come into
contact with a sage, but it is very difficult for him to realise the consciousness
of the sage which is non-different from the Lord. As long as he does not
realise this, a sage appears to be merely a way to a certain goal. But,
in reality, he is the way as well as the goal.

And as far as the sage is both the way and the goal, he is even considered
greater than the Lord Himself. Saint Tulasidasji says, “I have firm belief
that a devotee of Rama is greater than Him.” All the saints declare thus
unanimously.

Though the Lord is everywhere, without the grace of a Guru, He is not to
be realised. The saint or Guru alone is the way. There is absolutely no
other way leading to escape from Samsara.

Saints are the living manifestations of the Lord. Seeing a sage, meditating
on him, remembering him, touching his feet, talking with him, etc., bring
about a sudden inflow of God’s grace into the individual, by which the
latter quickly attains the lofty peak of spiritual knowledge.

Tulasidasji sings the glory of Satsanga in glowing terms: “O dear one!
Should you keep the happiness of heaven and of all the higher worlds in
one pan of the balance and the happiness that arises out of Satsanga in
the other, the latter will outweigh the former.”

There is no boat other than Satsanga to take you across the ocean of Samsara.
Blessed is he who has come into contact with a Satpurusha, a realised sage.
More blessed is he who has cultivated unflinching devotion to his feet.
And the most blessed is he who has attained communion with the consciousness
of the sage.

In case contact with a sage is not possible, one should try to be in contact
with sublime books like the Upanishads, the Gita, the Yoga-Vasishtha, the
Ramayana, the Bhagavata, etc. He should try to take resort to holy places
and there engage himself in discoursing upon, or hearing of, the glory
of God. This also is Satsanga for him. Whatever helps one towards the attainment
of purity of heart should be considered as Satsanga.

The glow and power of Satsanga, association with the wise, saints, Yogis,
Sannyasins and Mahatmas is indescribable. Even a moment’s company is quite
sufficient to overhaul the old vicious Samskaras of the worldly people.
The magnetic aura, the spiritual vibration, and the powerful currents of
developed adepts produce a tremendous influence on the minds of worldlings.
Service of Mahatmas purifies the minds of passionate men very rapidly.
Satsanga elevates the mind to magnanimous heights. Just as a single matchstick
burns huge bundles of cotton in a few seconds, so also, the company of
saints burns all thoughts and Samskaras of passion within a short time.
The only potent specific for inducing burning Vairagya and burning desire
for liberation is Satsanga and Satsanga alone.

The association with the holy sages is quite enough to instil in a soul
wisdom and love. Vidya originates in those whose faults have been washed
away by the mighty force of Satsanga which has independent power of destroying
all faults and originating Vidya.

Those who hear the life-giving words of good men have their heads that
are tainted with evil, purified. They ultimately reach the lotus feet of
the Lord. This shows that the words of good men have the power of purifying
the soul and carrying it to the feet of the Master.

How Satsanga Gradually Leads to the Vision of God

First comes keeping company of the righteous and good men and serving them.
By such company and service, there dawns the knowledge of the essential
nature of one’s own self and of the divine or supreme Self. Then comes
Vairagya or a total disgust for everything of this world and of the next,
with a yearning for the Lord. This is Bhakti. When Bhakti becomes strong,
the man becomes the beloved of the Lord, and because of such dearness to
Him, he is chosen by Him. Then comes the direct vision of the Lord.

Vivekananda attended the Satsanga of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Jnanadeva
had the Satsanga of Nivrittinath. Gorakhnath attended Satsanga of Matsyendranath.
The practice of feeling His presence in everything, of seeing God in every
face and in every object is, in itself, a grand sublime Satsanga. Hail,
hail to Mahatmas who hold Satsanga and to sincere devotees who attend them!
Very often, devotion is kindled by association and talk with devotees.
As flame is enkindled by flame, so heart catches fire from head. Says Sri
Krishna: “The wise adore Me in rapt devotion. With their minds wholly in
Me, with their life absorbed in Me, enlightening each other, ever conversing
about Me, they are satisfied and delighted.”

In the East, students are always advised to seek the company of holy men
and listen to their conversation, thus fanning into flame a little spark
of love and earnestness. Only a strong soul can keep itself glowing in
isolation, and the beginner will do well to take the opportunity that comes
in his way to strengthen his own aspirations by communion with others who
share them.

Indispensability of Satsanga for Those Who Cannot Think for Themselves

There are very few people in this world who can correctly think for themselves,
who can do Sadvichara and depend on their own intelligence in their pursuit
of Truth. These few people are, of course, their own Gurus or teachers,
and do not require any other teacher. Their Satsanga consists in their
meditation on the Highest Intelligence or Consciousness.

Those who cannot think correctly and cannot depend on their own thoughts,
feelings and volitions, who are swayed by passions and delusions, constitute
the majority of mankind. Such people require a wise and good Guru or teacher
in order that they may be enabled to lead a well-directed life. Their Satsanga
consists in the company and service of, receiving direct instructions from,
and observing and emulating the conduct of their Guru or teacher who is
wise and good.

It is only the sincere and earnest Sadhaka who knows the real value of
Satsanga or association with saints and sages. Real Satsanga gives the
aspirant inner spiritual strength to face the struggles of life, overcome
temptations, kill inner cravings, fill the mind with positive divine thoughts.

The company of a saint or a sage can transform evil into good. Faith in
God, in scriptures, attachment and devotion to God, slowly develop in those
who do regular Satsanga. Even a sinner has a hope through the Sanga of
a Mahatma or Mahapurusha. Rogues Jagai and Madhai, dacoit Ratnakara, were
all transformed into saints by Satsanga.

Satsanga is the greatest of all the purifiers and illuminators of man.
Satsanga is the one panacea for all the ills of life. There is nothing
so inspiring, elevating and solacing as Satsanga. Satsanga is the sap of
life, the elixir of thought, the joy of the soul. There is no other way
to the attainment of supreme blessedness than Satsanga. There is nothing
so great, so important, so indispensable, so delightful, as Satsanga. This
is the only way and there is no other.

Satsanga Bhavans are a great need of the hour. Many people can gather together.
When people join together and sing the Lord’s Name and pray, a great spiritual
force is generated. That is the glory of Satsanga. If you shut yourself
up in your room and do Japa and meditation, you may not progress so fast,
but if you form a small Satsanga group and all of you do Japa together
and meditate together, the spiritual force generated will help you all.
You will make rapid and wonderful progress. When you attend a Satsanga,
you will forget the worries of the world. You are in an entirely different
atmosphere.

It is Satsanga alone that can transform man in these days. Sublime ideas
must be constantly dinned into the ears of man. Then only will his heart
be transformed.

Nowadays there is such dishonesty in business that every article is adulterated.
Adulteration of foodstuffs is rampant everywhere. Man is selfish and has
no sense of duty. At the moment of death, your conscience will prick you.
You will have no peace of mind either now or at the time of death or ever
afterwards. Dishonesty kills your conscience; it is worse than Atma-hatya.
It is like killing yourself. Be honest. Have a pure head, clean mind and
clear conscience. Even if you are poor, you will be happy. If you are honest,
the whole wealth of the world will belong to you.

Build Satsanga Bhavans Everywhere

The man is not rich, because he has a lot of money in the bank. Only that
man is really rich whose heart is rich. Each virtue is worth more than
a crore of rupees. Cultivate a charitable heart. You are spending a lot
of money on the clothes of your wife and children; give plenty of money
in charity for the construction of temples and Satsanga Bhavans. They are
great assets to the whole world.

Through your charity, there must be a Gita Bhavan in every town, in every
Mohalla. What a wonderful thing it will be! There will be Satsanga everywhere.
In those Satsangas people will learn of Dharma. They will be transformed.
The entire society will be transformed. Sublime ideas and ideals will enter
the hearts of people. Dishonesty will disappear. Dharma will reign supreme.
People will become ‘Sarvabhutahiteratah,’ devoted to the welfare of all
beings, feeling that the entire world is one family.

One life, one consciousness, one Self, dwells in all, just as one sun and
one moon shine over the whole world. But the power of Maya shows everything
as different. The scavenger and the cobbler are your own Self. It is Maya
that makes you feel, “This man is inferior and the other man is superior.”
Vedanta speaks of unity. All are one. This truth has to permeate your entire
being. That can be done only through Satsanga.

You should constantly hear and dwell upon such sublime ideals. Some Vedantic
students go about saying, “There is no world in the three periods of time.”
But, if there is a little less salt in their Dal or less sugar in their
milk, they would be upset. This lip-Vedanta will not do. You have to be
practical Vedantins. You can become practical Vedantins only through constant
Satsanga.

Learn the Principles of Real Life Through Satsanga

You must learn the principles of real life through Satsanga. Real life
is living for others. You beautify yourself by wearing diamond rings and
Benares Sarees. Is there beauty in diamond rings and Benares Sarees? Seva-bhav,
charity is the real diamond. You dress yourself nicely and see yourself
in a mirror a thousand times, does that give you beauty? Beauty is within.
Infinite beauty dwells in the chambers of your heart. Jyotishamapi Tat
Jyoti Tamasah Paramuchyate, Jnanam, Jneyam, Jnanagamyam, Hridisarvasya
Tishtitam. You spend all your time in beautifying this body! Morning you
have a shave, in the evening you have another shave. This is all waste
of precious time, precious life. You must learn to utilise time properly,
through Satsanga.

Love all. Embrace all. Be kind to all. Help the downtrodden brothers. Instead
of having six or seven shirts for yourself, give a shirt to the poor man.
Thus only can you evolve. Thus only can you realise the Atman which is
the One Self that dwells in all.

Try to see good in everybody. Do not develop the Dosha-drishti, the fault-finding
nature. Your evil mind, your lower nature, will try to ignore the good
qualities that are in a man and try to see only his defects. You will have
to cultivate the eye of discrimination. Human nature is such that man tries
to see only defects in others; you will even superimpose evil upon persons
in whom such evil qualities do not exist. Through Satsanga and study, you
will have to eradicate this nature. You will have to cultivate the habit
of seeing only good in others. Then only will you be able to unite with
all. You will be able to recognise the goodness in all. You will not have
Ghrina, hatred, etc. You will have to cultivate this habit through Satsanga.

Individual Sadhana and Collective Sadhana

What spiritual benefit you cannot get in five years of study, you can have
in one Satsanga. You have experienced it now. I am not deceiving you. You
actually feel it: Aparoksha Anubhuti. When you sing Kirtan here, you have
forgotten the world. What made you forget the world and rise above body-consciousness?
It is Kirtan of the Lord’s Name; it is Satsanga.

Only in Satsanga will you be vigilant. You will enter into Bhava-samadhi
here. But when you attempt to do Japa in your own room, you will get another
kind of Samadhi.....deep sleep! One man wanted to know the easiest way
of controlling and annihilating the mind. The preceptor said, “Take rice
and sour curd to your bellyful. Lie down on a good bed, soft and comfortable.
Have good pillows for your head and feet. Relax. Breathe deeply. You will
go beyond the mind.” That is deep sleep. That is what you will get if you
sit alone in your room and try to do Japa and meditation. When you are
in Satsanga, you are vigilant, and you get the help of the spiritual vibrations
of the entire gathering.

(The author was speaking at a Satsanga gathering in a Gita Mandir. This
chapter is made up of excerpts from that speech.)

This world appears to be very beautiful, charming and attractive. Delicious
drinks, luscious fruits, fragrant flowers, sweets and toffees, tea and
coffee, beautiful women and magnificent gardens,—and the mind is attracted
to them. The man who has no discrimination and dispassion is attracted.
He lives in Maya, thinks always of Maya, dwells constantly upon sensual
objects, and is filled with Asubha Vasanas. He leads an Asuric life in
this world.

But, reflect for a moment on the true nature of this world. With all these
beautiful things, there is a constant undercurrent of Janma, Mrityu, Jara
and Vyadhi—birth, death, old age and disease. Loss of property, death of
near relatives and dear friends, dishonour and defeat, these are the things
that you experience daily, even though you run after the beautiful objects
thinking they will give you unalloyed happiness. You are immersed in sorrow.
You are sorely disappointed. You have misunderstood the nature of the world.
This is a world of pain, sorrow and death. You cannot get real peace, happiness
or bliss in this world, from these sense-objects. Where can you get them?

Behind these names and forms, behind these fleeting sense-objects, behind
these perishable phenomena, there is the Satchidananda Para Brahman, full
of bliss, full of eternal peace and wisdom, illumination and enlightenment.
Attain this Atman through study of sacred scriptures, meditation, Japa,
Kirtan and Satsanga. You will be freed from the trammels of the flesh,
from slavery to the mind, from the shackles of transmigration.

Avidya, Kama and Karma bind you to this wheel of birth and death. You have
forgotten your real essential nature. You are ignorant of your Satchidananda
Svarupa. Therefore you feel that happiness lies in the external objects
of the senses. And, desire arises in you for them. Then you exert to obtain
them, and Karma results. Karma brings about birth and death.

Therefore, if you want to free yourself from birth and death, free yourself
from desires, from attachment, from Asubha Vasanas, and ultimately, from
this primordial ignorance, develop discrimination, dispassion, serenity
of mind. Practise the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali Maharshi, Bhakti Yoga
of Devarshi Narada, Jnana Yoga of Sankaracharya, Karma Yoga of Bhagavan
Krishna or the Yoga of Synthesis which is most suitable to this modern
age. You will be freed from birth and death. You will enjoy eternal bliss.
This is the goal. This is your Dharma. You have taken birth here as a human
being in order to reach this goal here and now, in this very birth. If
you do not strive to reach the goal, you are wasting your life and neglecting
this precious gift of human birth.

Satsanga Guards You Against the Unreal Glitter of Worldly Objects

Forget not the goal. In order not to forget the goal, Satsanga is most
essential. Satsanga keeps the fire of aspiration alive in your head. It
is a shield to protect you from lapsing into lethargy, from gliding back
into the old grooves of sense-cravings, from forgetting your goal. Satsanga
is your best friend, your spiritual nourishment. Satsanga is greater than
your parents; your parents gave the body, but Satsanga gives you spiritual
illumination. Satsanga is one of the fundamental means for attaining God-realisation.
Where there is Satsanga, Mahatmas and great saints assemble. They remind
you of the Reality; they guard you against the unreal glitter of worldly
objects; they save you from the formidable ocean of Samsara. Their glorious
example inspires you; their soul-elevating Upadesa is your guide. From
Satsanga you get practical lessons in control of mind, concentration and
meditation.

Satsanga is, therefore, indispensable for householders who have to engage
themselves in their worldly duties, important for spiritual aspirants who
are treading the path of renunciation, and highly beneficial even for advanced
Yogis and students of Vedanta. It spiritually awakens the householders,
inspires the spiritual aspirants, and sustains the spirit of the advanced
Yogis. To the great saints and Mahatmas, Satsanga is a pleasure, delight,
joy and Loka-sangraha Seva. Mahatmas wish to share their spiritual experiences
with struggling souls and rescue those who are caught in the snare of Samsara.
They are the soul of Satsanga. The very purpose of convening Satsanga is
to enjoy the company of these Holy Ones.

The Real Satsanga Bhavan is in Your Own Heart

The Satsanga Bhavan, the place where Satsanga is held, is Vaikuntha, Kailasa
or Param-dham, in reality. The real Satsanga Bhavan is in your own heart.
There dwells the Sat, the Supreme Reality, that Existence Absolute or Brahman.
Control the mind by the practice of Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama.
Make the mind one-pointed by the practice of Pratyahara and Dharana. Then
meditate on the Self, the Atman dwelling in your heart. You can enter into
your own Satsanga Bhavan daily through self-analysis, introspection, enquiry
into the nature of the Self. This will lead to Self-realisation, when you
will for ever be one with that Sat, the infinite eternal Existence.

This is your goal. Forget not, Maya is very powerful. With all your good
intentions, you will forget this your foremost duty. Therefore, come to
the Satsanga Bhavan and associate with saints and Yogis who will instruct
you how to control the mind, how to practise Pranayama and Brahma-vichara,
how to wean the mind from sensual objects, how to fill the mind with Sattva.

Identification with the body and the mind is the cause for all sufferings.
In reality, you are Satchidananda-svarupa; identification with this real
Svarupa is the key to perennial peace and supreme bliss. Ajo Nityah Sasvatoyam
Purano: this Atman is unborn, eternal and ancient. Be regular in your meditation,
Japa, Kirtan, prayer. People do Kirtan for some time, attend Satsanga for
some time; and then they leave off. This is a sad error. Regularity is
of paramount importance in Sadhana. Whatever you do, do regularly. Increase
the period of meditation gradually. Do not be attracted by the tantalising
tinsels of this world. Nobody has been benefited by material possessions.
You may have crores of rupees in the bank, you may have a hundred motor-cars
and a dozen bungalows: but, peace of mind you cannot have from these. You
can have peace of mind only if you are regular in Japa, meditation, Kirtan
and Satsanga. Only when you realise the Self will you enjoy perennial peace.
Construct the Satsanga Bhavan in your own heart through regular and systematic
spiritual practice and realise Him, not in the unknown future, but right
now this very second. Forget not the goal.

Let me remind you of the last word of the Upanishads. Tat Tvam Asi: thou
art that supreme, infinite, immortal Satchidananda Brahman. Have constant
Nama-smaran; even when you are working, mentally repeat Sri Ram, Sri Ram.
Sri Ram is not only the Avatara of Lord Vishnu, consort of Sita, but He
is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent Para Brahman. Constantly meditate
on Sri Ram. Be good. Do good. Be noble. Be gentle. Be generous. Attain
Self-realisation through Satsanga, Svadhyaya, Japa, Kirtan and meditation.
May Lord bless you all!

How to judge a Mahatma? This is most difficult. A Shakespeare only can
understand a Shakespeare. A Jesus only can understand a Jesus. A man of
experience who has mixed with Sadhus and Sannyasins and lived with them
for a number of years may arrive at certain definite conclusions and may
infer something, but he may or may not be accurate or correct. Only a Jnani
with his Divya Drishti can directly see and understand a Jnani.

A Sadhu may be physically nude. He may not keep anything with him. He may
be using his hands as the begging-bowl and be living underneath a tree.
He may live in a forest. Yet he may be the greatest scoundrel; he may be
the most worldly-minded man with internal and external attachments and
all sorts of passions. He may dance in joy when he gets an eight-anna piece
for his opium-smoking. His mind may be full of distractions and disturbances.
Whereas, a man may live in a busy town or city. He may lead the life of
a big Babu. He may wear fashionable dress. He may eat dainties. And yet,
he may not have the least attachment or craving for anything. Sri Ramanuja
lived amidst luxuries. He preached a life of enjoyment. Raja Janaka had
his royal pleasures, and yet he said: “My wealth is boundless, but I have
nothing. Even if the whole of Mithila were burnt to ashes, nothing of mine
will be burnt”.

The Mistakes That Householders Make in Judging a Mahatma

Householders make wrong judgments in deciding the nature of a Sadhu. They
take into consideration only the external conditions of a Sadhu. Even educated
people commit mistakes in this regard. Our present-day university education
will not help one to judge the spiritual advancement of a Sadhu or a Mahatma.
The spiritual line is totally different.

In Uttarakasi, a young Sadhu was hearing the description of a Jnani of
the seventh Bhumika when Swami Devagiri was holding classes on Yoga Vasishtha.
He at once pretended to be in the Turiyatita state, the highest state of
knowledge. He gave up taking food. He passed urine and motion in the room.
This state of affairs continued for fifteen days. When his neighbours inquired
what the matter was, he replied that he was in the seventh Bhumika. An
intelligent man wanted to test his mental state. He applied Bichu Katta
leaves to his body. This caused intense burning like scorpion-sting. He
cried bitterly. He admitted his folly and began to take food as usual.
Such Jnanis are in abundance in the Punjab, Rishikesh and other places
nowadays. Beware of such Jnanis. By applying burning charcoal to their
bodies, one can easily test the mental state of such Jnanis.

You can hardly estimate the advancement of a Sadhu by a simple casual talk
for an hour or two. You will have to live with him for a long time, and
then alone you will be able to draw some accurate inferences and conclusions.
There have been instances of realised persons who had elephants, horses
and all royal paraphernalia without being affected in the least by their
external objects. They had always Jnana Nishtha and Svarupa Sthiti amidst
busy worldly activities. This is integral development. This is the gist
of the Bhagavad Gita. This is the central teaching of Lord Krishna.

What is wanted is mental nudity. Shave the mind by removing attachments,
desires, egoism. You can live wherever you like. A town will be a dense
forest for you. On the contrary, a thick forest will be just like a busy
city if you have a ruffled mind with passions and revolting Indriyas. Jnana
is purely an internal state. You will to know your own Self. The external
marks are no sure criterion. So do not look into the external things of
a Sadhu. A man may take any kind of food, he may dress in any way he likes,
he may part his hair in any manner he finds it convenient. These are all
non-essentials. Always look into his internal mental state.

Where True Religion Begins

A devotee, a Sannyasin or a Yogi may live on any food he likes. He may
dress in any way he likes, he may dress his hair in any manner he pleases.
He may live on fruits, dry leaves, water, or on rich delicacies according
to his Prarabdha. He may live naked or in rich garments. He may be a great
Titikshu or a Tapasvi. But these things have nothing to do with true religion.

Real religion begins when one has gone above body-consciousness. Real religion
begins when one has gone beyond the petty customs, manners and conventions.
These are all meaningless social binding for those who are still after
body-consciousness. These things have nothing to do for a man who has expanded
himself. A real Sannyasin or a Sadhu is above all these things. None in
the world can expect a real expanded man to be a slave to all these preliminary
social or religious bondages. The worldly-minded persons attach too much
stress on dressing and eating, and as such are not able to judge the merits
of a real Sannyasin. They look to his externals only and are deceived;
and at last they run after him in vain. They are unreasonably prejudiced.
They waste good opportunities, and do not derive much advantage from the
company of Sadhus. They always find fault for trifling and petty things.
They say, “That Sannyasin is eating onions; this Sadhu is smoking; that
Mahatma is having his face shaved.” If you look on all these petty things,
you can never be benefited. A Tibeti Baba, a great living Yogi of Burdwan,
is smoking and he takes meat also. What of that! He knows how to convert
a Tamasic food into Sattvic food.

Siddhis are no True Criterion of True Spirituality

Another great blunder people generally commit is that they judge the enlightenment
of Sadhus by the Siddhis they display. In the world generally, the common
inclination is to judge the merits and ability of a Sadhu through his Siddhis.
It is a blunder indeed. They should not judge the enlightenment of a Sadhu
in this way. Siddhis are by-products of concentration. Siddhis have nothing
to do with Self-realisation. A Sadhu may manifest Siddhis due to strong
passions and intense desires, and if that be the case, he is undoubtedly
a big householder only. You must believe me when I tell you that Siddhis
are a great hindrance to spiritual progress, and so long as one is within
the realm of Siddhis and does not try to rise above it and march onwards,
there is not the least hope of God-realisation for him. But, this does
not mean that a person manifesting Siddhis is not a realised soul. There
are several instances of such persons who have exhibited several Siddhis
purely for the elevation and uplift of the world, but never for selfish
motives.

During the days of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Dev, a certain Sadhu approached
him and showed two Siddhis: one was that he could roam about without being
seen by anybody. The other was that light emanated from his anus when he
walked. This man after some time entered the apartments of a lady unseen,
misused his power, fell in love with her and lost his two powers. In the
world generally, the common run of people and even educated persons judge
Sadhus by their Siddhis only. It is a serious blunder and hence I seriously
warn you.

Cramming Scriptures Cannot Make Man a Yogi

Quoting scriptures is also not a sign to indicate the spiritual development
of a person. A man may recite the whole of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the
Brahma Sutras; and yet he may be the greatest and most abominable scoundrel.
There are nowadays many who pose for big Yogins and Jnanis or Jivanmuktas
after a little study of some books. Mere theory alone cannot help you in
enjoying the fruits of Yoga. Mere intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and
emotional bubbling cannot help you at all in any way in Yoga practice.
Mere posing “I am a Yogi” by cramming a few Sutras from Yoga Darshan is
nothing but downright hypocrisy. Yoga Abhyasa is not a commercial business.
To cheat God, your own self and the public by some false demonstration
in some Yogic practice is a heinous crime. There is no Prayaschitta for
this unpardonable deception. This deserves the maximum punishment.

Titiksha Alone Cannot Make a Tapasvin

Again, there are some men in the garb of Sadhus or Sannyasins who would
talk much about Hatha Yogic Kriyas and run about in the world with pretended
Samadhis. One can live on air and water alone, another can remain under
the earth for six months, and a third can swallow nitric acid, glass pieces
and poisons. These are merely physical trainings and are not the real qualifications
of a Sadhu.

The mind has the power to imitate. Great persons like Swami Krishna Ashram
lead a perfectly hard life even in Gangotri. Many people are trying to
imitate him and pass for great souls or Mahatmas. Young men study Vivekachudamani
and Avadhuta Gita and pretend to appear as Avadhutas as described there,
without having any internal change. The mind remains the same with its
likes and dislikes, passion and anger. Poor, ignorant worldlings are duped
by these external appearances. Titiksha is by itself no sign of spirituality.
Sri Pradyumna Kesava, Munsiff of Sitapur, mentioned to me the instance
of a Sadhu who could roll on burning sand at midday in summer for hours
together and yet he used to fight for trifling things with great excitement.
These are all mere physical training only. Titiksha is mental. Vairagya
is mental. Sannyasa is also mental. A man of strong will can give up all
his clothing at one stroke and can live in winter in Gangotri without the
least trouble, without any preliminary training.

If Titiksha alone can effect emancipation, even buffaloes and fish living
for twenty-four hours in water should get emancipation. If mere shaving
of head can bring about salvation, even goats and other animals whose hairs
are shorn should obtain release. If eating the crumbs that are thrown out
in the gutter and sleeping in a dunghill can give salvation, even dogs
are entitled to get salvation. Therefore, the conclusion is that we must
not be guided by mere external appearances only, but must look into the
inner mental state of the man.

Who Then is a True Mahatma?

Neither through matted locks, nor through fiery lectures and erudition,
nor through the exhibition of miracles does one attain perfection or knowledge.
He in whom the two currents of Raga-dvesha, egoism, lust and anger are
destroyed in toto is ever happy and is a liberated sage or Jivanmukta.

Saints are those whose minds are unruffled, who are free from avarice,
who have conquered desire, and who have brought their senses and internal
nature under control, who are devoted to the Lord, and who have no longing
for anything, who are the same in pleasure and pain, who are free from
attachment, who have the attributes of self-control, and who are content
with whatever comes in their way.

If you find mercy and humility in a person, then alone can you know that
that person is a Sadhu. His heart will melt at the suffering of others.
Man has got a sin-hardened head; when this begins to melt, the Lord manifests
Himself there. The Sadhu need not deliver lectures on Panchadasi. He need
not necessarily be able to deliver eloquent discourses on the Gita. He
may not be able to comment for three hours upon a single Brahma Sutra.
But, a sweet aroma will emanate from him. This will attract you to him.
This will give you Santi and an inner bliss when you approach him. All
your worries and anxieties will disappear as you near him. His very look
will elevate you. Each one of his words will inspire you, will engrave
itself on the tablet of your heart. Your nature will be transformed. You
will turn a new leaf in your life. Such will be his power. Such is the
glory of true mercy and humility.

Satsanga: The Question of Availability

There is a complaint by householders nowadays that there are no good Mahatmas.
This is a lame excuse. The company of Sadhus is a question of supply and
demand. If there is a sincere demand, the supply will come at once. This
is the inexorable law of nature. If you are really thirsty, you will find
your Master at your threshold. You lead a happy-go-lucky life, your mind
is full of passion and unholy Vasanas. You do not care a bit for higher
divine life. You waste your time in idle gossiping and vain, worldly talks.
You have become a hopeless slave of passion, greed, and name and fame.
And yet you complain: “I cannot get good Satsanga.” Blame yourself first.
Admit your faults. Repent sincerely for your mistakes. Do Prayaschitta.
Fast. Pray. Cry bitterly in solitude. Make yourself a deserving Adhikari
first. Then come to me. I shall take you to the lotus-feet of blessed souls
who will put you in the right path, guide you and elevate you to sublime
heights. These “oversouls” or high souls are waiting to get hold of the
right type of aspirants. Mahatmas are in plenty. Real seekers are few.
If you bring a charge, “There are no good Mahatmas.” Mahatmas also bring
a serious charge, “There are no real seekers after Truth.”

Good things are always rare in this world. Musk, saffron, radium, sandalwood,
learned persons, virtuous persons, heroes, philanthropists are rare. When
such is the case, what to speak of saints, Yogins, Jnanis and Bhaktas!
You will have to equip yourself first with the necessary qualifications
of self-restraint, celibacy, calmness of mind, keen desire for liberation,
humility, obedience, spirit of service, etc., to make yourself fit for
their company. If you get their company, the question of your salvation
is solved.

How Householders Should Behave Towards Sannyasins

The majority of householders have no faith in Sadhus and even if they meet
any good Sadhu, they naturally find fault with his externals and put so
many questions as to his previous name, caste, creed, qualifications, relations,
age and what not. They forget the very elementary principles of Sannyasins.
They will never think that after becoming a Sannyasi, one has to forget
all these things, and all the more, this body consciousness. They do not
understand that a Sannyasi is no more a Brahmin or a Sadhu or a professor,
or a leader of a particular society, creed or sect.

Grihastis should not put such questions to a Sadhu. They can talk only
on philosophical points with a view to clear doubts. Then and then alone
they can be benefited by Satsanga. Satsanga is the easiest and quickest
means to change the mind of worldly-minded persons towards the spiritual
path and to thoroughly overhaul the old vicious and wrong Samskaras. Live
in the company of Sadhus. Their company itself is spiritual education.

A sage should be approached with all humility and reverence. If you approach
in such a spirit of humility, he will certainly impart to you the divine
wisdom.

Householders should approach Sannyasins with fruits in hand, wet with genuine
Bhakti. As soon as they meet Sannyasins and get their Darshan, they should
do Sashtanga Namaskar with Bhava and Prema. They should not talk anything
that is worldly in the presence of Sannyasins. If they have any question
to ask, they should always keep ready their question and should invariably
take care to see that it pertains to spirituality and God. They should
not try to invent some foolish question for fun’s sake as soon as they
enter the Ashramas of Sannyasins or their Kutirs. They should not waste
much time. Householders may take with them some small presents according
to their capacity. Sannyasins are visible gods on earth. There is no Yajna
or service greater than service to Sannyasins. It is the most potent purifier.
Blessed are those who serve Sannyasins, for they will soon have peace of
mind and purity of heart!

If you cannot get Satsanga of living Mahatmas, you can take recourse to
the study of books written by great souls. This will constitute negative
Satsanga. If you study Vivekachudamani, you are really having Satsanga
of Sankaracharya for the time being. If you read Yoga Vasishtha, you are
really having Satsanga with sage Vasishtha.

In the evening, four or five people can assemble together in a temple or
a quiet room and can study for one or two hours either the Gita or the
Upanishads, the Ramayana, the Bhagavatam, etc. Slowly your mind will be
purified. You will get taste in the spiritual path. Women also should follow
this method.

Most Important Books for Daily Reading

A devotee should study books which place before him the ideals of devotion,
the glory, the sweetness and the Leelas of the Lord, the stories of saints
and the practices which help him to cultivate devotion. Devotion develops
by the study of such scriptures.

How the Mind Deludes

Earthly objects you want. But with all that, you should never miss a day
in meditation, in the study of the Gita, the Upanishads, the Vivekachudamani,
all full of spiritual gems. One Sloka will give you Santi:

The mind deludes you. “When I have two cows of my own, when I have a beautiful
bungalow in Mussoorie, I will be happy”: these are all poor ideas. We want
people of Nachiketas’ type, aspiring for something beyond time, space and
causation. You should have such a strong aspiration, meditation and renunciation,
though remaining in the world, like Chudalai, like Janaka. Every day you
must study Vivekachudamani, Atma Bodha, Tattva Bodha, Panchadasi, Vichara
Sagara—all these elevating Granthas—and Yoga Vasishtha, the beautiful monumental
Grantha on Advaita Vedanta. These will give you Santi. Nirmamo Nirahamkarah
Sa Santim Adhigachhati. He only gets grace.

Benefits of Svadhyaya

Be regular in the study of religious books, Ramayana, Bhagavatha, Yoga
Vasishtha and other good books for Svadhyaya. If you reflect on the ideas
of the Gita and fix the mind on these ideas, this itself is a form of lower
Samadhi. Gita is a unique book for Svadhyaya. It contains the essence of
all the Yogas and the cream of the Vedas. You can devote half an hour to
three hours daily for this purpose according to the time at your disposal.
Study of scriptures is Kriya Yoga or Niyama. It purifies the heart and
fills the mind with sublime and elevating thoughts.

Svadhyaya inspires and elevates the mind to high spiritual altitude. It
clears doubts. It weeds out unholy ideas. It cuts new spiritual grooves
for the mind to move on. It reduces wandering of the mind or Vikshepa.
It helps concentration. It forms a kind of lower Savikalpa Samadhi. It
serves pasture for the mind to graze upon. When you study the sacred books,
you are in tune with the authors who are realised souls. You draw inspiration
and become ecstatic.

When you cannot get positive Satsanga of Mahatmas, Svadhyaya clears doubts.
It strengthens the flickering faith, it induces aspiration or strong yearning
for liberation. It gives encouragement and illumination. It places before
you a list of saints who trod the path, encountered and removed difficulties,
and thus cheers you up with hope and vigour. It fills the mind with Sattva
or purity; it inspires and elevates the mind. It helps concentration and
meditation. It cuts new Sattvic grooves and makes the mind run in these
new grooves.

To translate the precepts contained in the books of the sages and saints
into action is to have your afflicted body soothed, to have your bruised
soul healed, and to save yourself from all kinds of ills of life which
are due to ignorance. Spiritual books act as consoling companions under
all vexing circumstances, as ideal teachers in all difficulties, as guiding
lights in the nights of nescience and folly, as panacea for evils and as
shapers of destiny.

Acquire wisdom by digesting the books of sages and saints, philosophers
and mystics. By wisdom, master the secrets of all sciences, know the exact
nature of things, tune your localised being or individualised personality
with the workings of the divine nature of the Laws of Truth. Wisdom is
the key to the plenitude of power and joy. Wisdom annuls countless sufferings,
innumerable sins, cuts the root of ignorance, and confers upon you peaceful
harmony and absolute perfection.

The effects of evil company are highly disastrous. The aspirant should
shun all sorts of evil company. The mind is filled with bad ideas by contact
with evil companions. The little faith in God and scriptures also vanishes.
A man is known by the company he keeps. Birds of the same feather flock
together. These are all proverbs or wise maxims. They are quite true. Just
as a nursery is to be well-fenced in the beginning for protection against
cows, etc., so also, a neophyte should protect himself very carefully from
foreign evil influences. Otherwise he is ruined totally. The company of
those who speak lies, who commit adultery, theft, cheating, double-dealing,
who indulge in idle talks, backbiting and talebearing, who have no faith
in God and in the scriptures, should be strictly avoided. The company of
women and of those who associate with women is dangerous.

Vilwamangal attended once the nautch party of Chintamani. His whole Antahkarana
was poisoned. He was the virtuous son of a pious Brahmin. All his good
traits disappeared. He fell in love with her. He ruined his life. There
are thousand and one instances like this. In Andhra Pradesh, Vemanna also
was spoiled by evil company in the beginning. There is nothing more dangerous
than evil company. If the wife has no religious tendencies and is of a
worldly nature, her company also is tantamount to evil company. That is
the reason why scriptures speak very highly of solitary places in the Himalayas
and on the banks of the Ganga.

What Constitutes Evil Company

Bad surroundings, obscene pictures, obscene songs, novels that deal with
love, cinemas, theatres, the sight of pairing of animals, words which give
rise to bad ideas in the mind—in short, anything that causes evil thoughts
in the mind constitutes evil company. Whatever induces in us evil tendencies,
impure ideas, and likewise, is to be considered as Kusanga. Kusanga is
an antonym of Satsanga. It means ‘the company of the evil.’

Place, food, water, family, neighbourhood, sight, literature, criticism,
livelihood, and the mode of meditation or worship are the ten most important
factors which according to their nature either serve for us as Satsanga
or Kusanga.

Aspirants generally complain: “We are doing Sadhana for the last fifteen
years. We have not made any solid spiritual progress.” The obvious answer
is that they have not totally shunned evil company. Newspapers deal with
all sorts of worldly topics. Aspirants should entirely give up reading
of newspapers. Reading of newspapers kindles worldly Samskaras, causes
sensational excitement in the mind, makes the mind outgoing, produces an
impression that the world is a solid reality, and makes one forget the
Truth that underlies these names and forms.

The So-called Friends

If you put an ounce of alum in ten maunds of milk, the whole quantity of
milk becomes unfit for drinking. Even so, evil company, even for a few
minutes, will nullify the good effects created by Satsanga for ten years.
Evil company is an enemy of devotion. Give up evil company. Take recourse
to Satsanga or company of the saints.

The so-called friends are real enemies. You cannot find even a single unselfish
friend in this universe. Be careful. Friends come to have idle talks with
you and they waste your time. They want to pull you down and make you also
worldly. Do not be carried away by the flowery speech of such friends.
Cut off connection ruthlessly. Live alone at all times. Trust in that Immortal
Friend who dwells in your heart. He will give you whatever you want. If
you cannot have positive Satsanga of Mahatmas, have negative Satsanga with
books written by realised sages, saints and Bhagavatas.

A Sannyasin is one who has renounced (nyasa) the Deha-adhyasa, body-idea,
selfishness, Vasanas, egoism, Abhiman. The four Kumaras of Brahma (Sri
Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata), Sri Dattatreya, and Sri
Sankara are the pioneers in this path of pure Nivritti-marga. They are
the fathers for this Order of Sannyasa.

Trend of the Times

The world wants economic, racial, social, political, psychological, industrial
and also spiritual advancement. The spiritual side should never be ignored.
That is the basis. That is the be-all and end-all. In these days, leaders
in the Karma-yogic field lay stress on action alone. They have totally
ignored the spiritual side of life. Even Sannyasins of various institutions
are doing social service only. Some Sannyasins have scholarly erudition
only and they command a little respect for some time. They, too, have thrown
aside the meditative side of life. They are not able to produce a real
and lasting impression on the minds of the public, because they have not
got the real spiritual stuff or inner Atmic strength at their back.

Spiritual men, Yogins, Jnanins and Sannyasins should appear on the platform
like the comet or the second-day moon of the month of Kartik, like Lord
Jesus for a short time, should pour forth their energy and turn out tremendous
work and disappear from the field. The work of holding spiritual classes
for longer times and starting Ashrams belongs to the junior Sannyasins.
It will not suit the temperament of fiery spiritual giants. They will inundate
the land with spiritual waters or the nectar of divine knowledge in a short
time, just as the Ganga does for four months in the year.

Temptation of Comfortable Living

No Sannyasin or householder should start an Ashram for the sake of his
comfortable living. Many Sannyasins are pure in the beginning when they
start an Ashram, I mean when they are poor. When they become rich, when
they have got enough admirers and Bhaktas, the spirit of selfless service
dwindles away, giving place to selfish motives in their hearts. The object
with which they started Ashrams gets frustrated. Then it becomes a moneymaking
institution. People have no attraction. If the head of the institution
leads a life of Vairagya and absolute renunciation, the Ashram stands as
a centre or nucleus of perennial peace, bliss, and joy. It attracts millions
of people. The world is always in need of such Ashrams with such spiritual
giants as their heads.

Some young Sannyasins take a course of nux vomica seed, swallow a hundred
and twenty seeds in two years, study Laghu Siddhanta Kaumudi and Nyaya
for three years, imagine they have become real Siddhas, and mix freely
with worldly-minded persons. This is a very grave mistake. Nux vomica produces
impotency. Impotency is not establishment in Brahmacharya. They will have
a downfall soon. This goes without saying. Even perfect Jnanins and full-blown
Yogins should be very careful. They should avoid indiscriminate, promiscuous
mixing with worldly-minded persons. The sight of pairing of fish excited
a developed Rishi. The jingling sounds of the bangles of a lady, the sight
of even bordered or coloured clothes, causes severe excitement in the mind.
They have got their own impure associations. Passion is very powerful.
Mysterious is Maya. Beware, O aspirants!

It is the tongue and the palate that force the indisciplined young aspirants,
Brahmacharins, and Sannyasins to come in close contact with householders
under the garb of doing Satsanga. O aspirants! Is it for satisfying the
tongue you have left your parents and renounced position and property and
embraced Sannyasa? Or, is it for attaining Self-realisation? If it is for
the former, you would have done very well by earning money in the world.
Do not bring disgrace to the order of Sannyasa. If the tongue is uncontrollable,
remove the Gerua garb and go back to the world, do some work and earn money.
Evolve through Karma Yoga. No control of mind is possible without control
of tongue.

When one puts on the orange-coloured robe, he must remember that he has
entered a noble order of life and that great responsibility rests on his
shoulders and that he is going to become soon a religious and spiritual
teacher for the world. He must try his level best to possess all the noble,
divine virtues and to lead an ideal life of purity and Vairagya.

Is This Satsanga?

Satsanga has degenerated in these days. It has dwindled into some kind
of mental recreation or amusement. Mere Vedantic gossiping for one hour
in the evening between Sannyasins and householders with a mixture of some
idle, worldly talk, some politics, some scandal-mongering and backbiting,
some silly giggling, guffaw, and namby-pamby sentimental outpourings in
vague platitudes is labelled as Satsanga. The minds of the Sannyasin who
does Satsanga and of the hearers remain in the same state even after a
course of Satsanga for several years. There is no elevation and spiritual
progress.

When Sadhus and Sannyasins move in the world, they should show an exemplary
life of Vairagya to the householders. They should get from the householders
the bare necessaries of life only. They should not mix with them very freely.
They should live in a solitary place outside the village or town. They
should conduct spiritual classes in a serious manner. They should not talk
on worldly matters in the interval. They should not bring in too many stories
that excite laughter. They should not cut jokes. There must be solemn serenity.
The whole audience must be spellbound. There must be pin-drop silence.
Then only the householders will be influenced. They will feel they have
got something from the Satsanga.

Kheer-Parottah Birds

The moment a Sannyasin begins to ask from householders several things frequently,
he loses his respect and influence. He is forced to leave the place immediately.
Some shameless Sannyasins live as parasites amongst householders for months
together. They are ‘Kheer-Parottah’ birds. They are not real Sannyasins.
In the coming census report, the authorities should be very careful in
forwarding their reports. These persons should not come under the category
of Sadhus and Sannyasins. They are professional beggars in coloured garb,
like the wolf in the skin of a lamb. There must be a genuine record of
true Sannyasins. What is the use of swelling the number of Sadhus and showing
a figure of 74 lakhs of Sadhus? You will not find more than 2,000 good
cultured Sannyasins who are useful to themselves and to the country at
large. A real Sadhu or Sannyasin is like a glorious sun. He shines during
day and night.

A Sannyasin or Sadhu can do more solid and efficient work at the very threshold
of his cottage than by moving about from place to place and delivering
lectures on platforms. When the flower blossoms, it does not send any invitation
to the bees. The bees come by themselves. Even so, real seekers after Truth
will flock to the real Sannyasins at their very door. Sannyasins need not
move about and advertise. In platform-lectures, there is only temporary
stimulation for half an hour. There are some noise, fights, quarrels, claps,
“hear, hear” sounds from some corners. Only real Adhikarins will go to
meet Sannyasins at their cottages. The hearts of these aspirants can be
really pierced by the instructions of Sannyasins. Training of aspirants
is the highest service which a Sannyasin can do. Each aspirant will become
a spiritual nucleus, or radiating or broadcasting centre of joy, peace
and knowledge. When a Sannyasin moves, his time is wasted. All sorts of
people come to meet him out of curiosity.

Real Sannyasins are the beacon-lights and torch-bearers of the world. Just
as the lighthouse sends its light to the distant steamers in the far-off
sea, so also the Sannyasins radiate their divine light to people of far-off
climes who are immersed in the mire of darkness and ignorance. They can
move the whole world.

Glory to real Sannyasins who have renounced everything, who are treading
the path of Truth! Hail, hail to Sannyasins who are resting in their own
Svarupa, the Brahmanishthas! Glory, glory to Parivrajaka Acharyas, the
Brahmavidya Gurus who are disseminating the knowledge of the Self far and
wide! May their blessings be upon us all!

I. Rishi Visvamitra and Vasishtha

Visvamitra Rishi and Vasishtha had a dispute on one occasion. Visvamitra
was a great Tapasvin. He created a third world for Trisankhu through his
power of Tapascharya. Visvamitra said to Vasishtha: “Tapas is greater than
anything else in this world.” Vasishtha raised his objection and said,
“Satsanga is even superior to Tapas.” Then they both decided to go to Brahma
for obtaining his opinion on this point. They approached Brahma and placed
before him the matter for his final decision. Lord Brahma said, “I am busy
with my work of creation. I have no time. Please approach Lord Siva. He
has ample time at His disposal. He has got no other work now. His work
begins only when Pralaya comes.”

Thereupon, Visvamitra approached Lord Siva for obtaining his views and
final decision. Lord Siva said, “Now I am going to see one of my devotees.
I have no time now. Please go to Lord Vishnu. He will give a patient hearing
to this subject.” Then they went to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu said, “I cannot
decide this matter. Please go to Adi Sesha. He is ever repeating Rama Nama
through his thousand tongues. He is a great devotee. He is the proper person
to give the final decision. He is very wise too.”

Thereupon, they went to Adi Sesha and placed before him their viewpoints.
Adi Sesha replied, “Surely I will give my definite opinion. Please remove
the burden of this earth from my head. Then only I will be able to give
my view on this subject.” Then they both asked, “O Adi Sesha! Please tell
us the way to remove the burden.” Adi Sesha replied, “Please give the fruit
of your Tapascharya and Satsanga. I will be relieved of the burden.”

Visvamitra said, “Is that all? Now I give you the fruit of my Tapas of
one hundred years.” Adi Sesha was not relieved of the burden on his head.
Then Visvamitra said, “Now I give you the fruit of my Tapas for one thousand
years.” Then also Adi Sesha was not relieved of his burden. Then Visvamitra
said, “Now I give the fruit of my Tapas of my whole life.” Then also Adi
Sesha was not relieved of his burden.

Then Vasishtha said, “I give you the fruit of my Satsanga for a second.”
At once Adi Sesha was relieved of the burden on his head.

Thereupon Visvamitra put down his head in shame. He did not speak a word
either to Adi Sesha or Vasishtha. He fully realized that Satsanga was superior
to Tapas. His pride of Tapas tumbled down.

Satsanga is a safe mighty boat which helps the aspirant to cross the ocean
of Samsara. The glory of Satsanga cannot be adequately described in words.
All scriptures eulogise Satsanga very highly. If one takes recourse to
Satsanga, he will get everything. Satsanga is the only potent means to
overhaul the vicious Samskaras and to infuse dispassion in the head. Satsanga
is a formidable fortress to protect the aspirants from the onslaughts and
temptations of Maya. Without Satsanga, you cannot have even an iota of
spiritual progress.

Satsanga, Santi, Santosha and Vichara are the four sentinels who stand
in front of the door of Moksha. Satsanga is the senior most sentinel. If
you make friendship with him, the other three sentinels will at once become
your friends and you can easily enter the supreme abode of Moksha and eternal
bliss.

II. Saint Haridas and the Fallen Woman

Once saint Haridas, a disciple of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the course
of his wanderings, reached a village. He used to engage himself day and
night in the chanting of the Lord’s Name. A police superintendent who lived
nearby was disturbed by his Kirtan. In order to pollute him, the police
officer devised a plan. He sent a very charming prostitute to Haridas for
the purpose. In the night, the prostitute, proud of her beauty and amorous
glances, went to the saint. But how can a saint waver from his unflinching
devotion? Haridas did not stop his chanting for the whole night. Early
in the morning, seeing her before him, he said: “Please come next night.
I may be able to talk with you then.” So saying, he resumed his work. “What
sort of man is he?” she wondered, “But tomorrow I will be successful.”
Thus thinking, she went away.

The next night, she came again with double enthusiasm. But, again the same
thing happened. She thought within herself, “He must have attained something
more beautiful than myself. This must be the reason. Otherwise, he would
have fallen into the trap of my beauty as a moth falls into the flame.
Let me also attain the Beauty of all beauties which has intoxicated this
saint.”

The contact with the saint transformed her. She began to yearn for the
attainment of God. The saint gave her a rosary and a seat and ordered her
to distribute all her wealth among the poor and to engage herself in the
chanting of the Lord’s Name.

In course of time, the unholy woman became a holy devotee of the Lord.
She had His Darshan and attained supreme blessedness. Such is the glory
of Satsanga.

III. Shampoo My Waist With Your Feet!

Once a saint, in order to test his disciple, ordered him to shampoo his
waist by his feet. The saint said, “My waist is paining. Will you, my dear
disciple, shampoo it with your feet?”

The disciple said, “Maharaj! How am I to put my feet on your holy person?
That is a great sin.”

One should learn a lesson from this example. The disciple should not exercise
his intellect in carrying out the orders of his Guru. He should discard
impertinence and should develop true and lasting devotion to the Guru.
One should serve a saint in every way, serve him physically, meditate on
him, carry out his orders without delay, try to serve his mission, and
so forth. One should have unflinching faith. Mysterious are the ways of
a saint. The services that he takes from you are for your own benefit.
He himself wants nothing. By giving various orders and testing you in various
ways, he makes you a fit vessel for the reception of enlightenment.

One should not serve a saint for the sake of seeing miracles. You must
have spiritual benefit from a saint. One should serve a saint with body,
mind and soul together for the sake of attainment of God. Serving a saint
for the sake of wife, children, wealth and honour, or for any other selfish
motive is a great folly. Though the saint’s contact can give you success
in all worldly endeavours, yet it is like giving away diamonds in exchange
for stones.

The Fruits of Darshan of Mahatmas

Even a mere Darshan of great saints
Bestows wealth on the devotee,
Destroys all his sins,
Makes “Sreyas” (all that is good) flow towards him,
Gives him name and fame.
The benefits of Satsanga are indescribable.
The blessings of sages
Will liberate you from Samsara.

Miss Not a Satsanga

The sublime thoughts
That never occur to one lecturer
Will occur to another.
You should not miss that.
A sublime thought
May not occur to a lecturer on one day
But may occur to him on another occasion.
You should not miss that.
Miss not an opportunity
To have Satsanga of Mahatmas and saints.

Do Not Judge a Sage

Only a sage can know a sage.
He will sometimes appear like a Sarvajna, all-knower.
He will sometimes appear like an Ajna, ignorant man.
He knows when to act like a Brahmanishtha
And when to behave like a fool.
Do not judge him.
If you approach him with the proper Bhava,
With faith, devotion and spiritual thirst,
He will impart the highest knowledge to you.
If you approach him with a bad motive,
He will behave like a mad-man
And you will be deceived.
Great will be your loss then.

Who Is a Sadhu?

Many people think that
A Sadhu should take only two breads;
If he takes three or four breads, he is not a Sadhu.
A Sadhu should wear only a small towel;
If he wears a shirt or a coat,
He is not a Sadhu.
What a terrible state of ignorance,
Delusion, foolishness and stupidity!
Judge not a Sadhu by these things.
Renunciation is a mental state,
Sadhuism is an internal growth.

A Pseudo-saint

He keeps matted locks and a long beard,
He carries a Yogadanda and Kamandalu too,
He utters “Sivoham”, “Ram Ram”
He wears a bundle of rosaries.
He keeps a Gita and Ramayana with him,
He sits erect with closed eyes.
He does not take food for days together.
He is a hypocrite, he is a pseudo-saint.
Beware friend, beware comrade.
No saint is he, no trace of God he bears.
He would cut your throat.
He is a scoundrel, he is a rogue.
Dark hell waits him certainly.

Pseudo-Sannyasi

A pseudo-Sannyasi pollutes
The noble order of Sannyasa
By donning the orange-colour robe.
He is impudent, deceitful,
He is unrestrained,
He walks in disguise,
He is a counterfeit monk,
He is a babbler,
He defiles the way.
Beware, be cautious, friends!

Sanga-Dosha

Sanga-dosha is defect of evil company.
Aspirants should be very careful.
They should not freely mix with worldlings.
They will have a hopeless downfall.
They will begin to imitate the life of worldlings.
They will take up again
Those articles which they have renounced.
They will come down
To the level of worldlings.
All sorts of worldly Vasanas
Will enter their mind.
Therefore they should remain in seclusion
Till they are nicely moulded
And attain full illumination.

Baneful Effects of Evil Company

There was a Tapasvin in a forest.
He was doing Tapas for several years,
He had not seen women,
He had not tasted sweetmeats,
He lived on the fruits of forests.
There was a great famine in the country.
Pundits said to the king:
“If the Tapasvin is brought to the Capital,
There will be good rain.”
There was great difficulty in bringing him;
But some damsels came forward.
They said “We will bring him anyhow.”
They repaired to the forest with musical instruments
And a variety of sweetmeats.
They danced and sang,
They hung sweetmeats in the trees.
The melody penetrated into the ears of the Tapasvin.
He came near the damsels,
He ate the sweetmeats,
He was very much attracted towards the damsels.
The damsels said “O Tapasvin! Come to our town.
We will take care of you.”
The Tapasvin agreed.
He came to the Capital.
There was a good downpour of rain.
He was honoured by the king.
Gradually his dispassion waned.
He marked his gradual downfall.
He thought this was due to the Sanga-dosha.
At once he ran to the forest at night,
Without telling anybody.
He again did severe Tapas
And attained his original glorious state.

What Cannot Scriptures Bestow on You?

Devout study of Srimad Bhagavata
Bestows Bhakti and Vairagya on you.
Intelligent study of Vishnu-purana
Qualifies you for enquiry into the nature of Truth.
Pious recital of Srimad Ramayana
Confers progeny and prosperity on you.
Faithful study of the Mahabharata
Destroys all your sins and makes you pure.
What cannot Svadhyaya do?

Vedas, Puranas and Kavyas

Vedas are like the Master;
They command you to lead the divine life.
They do not use argument or persuasion.
Puranas are like the good friend;
They plead with you to do the right,
Using various arguments and
Illustrating them with interesting stories.
Kavyas are like the devout wife;
They capture your heart
And lure you into the life divine.
Each one has its own place
And is suited to a particular temperament.

Sadhus and Sannyasins form the pivot of the world order. They are the most
proper authorities in maintaining the world peace and harmony. They are
the real instruments by which innumerable aggressive nations may be brought
into close contact with one another and united together. Real Sadhus and
Sannyasins who always aim at universal brotherhood undergo vast experience
in all stages of their life. The life of a Sadhu or a Sannyasin is the
most perilous one. It is a double-edged sword. Unless life is led in the
most righteous and virtuous way, a Sadhu gets lost in the wilderness.

Nowadays, we may find some persons garb themselves in ochre-coloured dress
and roam about the world posing themselves as Sadhus and bringing home
ill-fame to the Sannyasi community as a whole. The stipulations levied
in the scriptures are completely ignored by these. Their contact with the
world results in devastating criticism and scandal of the section as a
whole.

To prevent such misdeeds and pretensions, and to make the Sadhus and Sannyasins
true and worthy teachers of mankind and to restore the dignity and prestige
of the Sadhu community, it has become quite necessary to bring about cohesive
unity between these souls by efficient organisation.

Initiation, maintenance and control of genuine Sadhus and Sannyasins are
very essential for the welfare of the whole world.

Conferences, parliaments, meetings, convocations and guilds should not
be restricted to the Sadhus and Sannyasins of the Hindu religion alone,
but should embrace all priests, Fakirs and monks following Christianity,
Islam, Sikhism and all religions of the world. All religions are of the
same origin with the same fundamental motto with one and only one background.
There need be no distinctions in the leading of practical life of persons
who have renounced their worldly attachments and who have dedicated their
whole life in finding out the real and eternal Truth and bringing it home
to the masses at large.

A perfect organisation of all these Sadhus in all corners of the world
will promote the interest of these as well as the world at large. All heads
of Mutts, churches and other religious institutions and organisations should
join hands and offer concrete suggestions for the efficient working of
the organisation.

Organisation of Sadhus

This is the need of the hour. Much spiritual good can be done if there
is a perfect organisation of Sadhus and Sannyasins. You will have a new
era, a new world, a new culture if this is done.

There is a huge cry for this organisation. Every householder in India talks
of this. But how are we to do this? This is the problem. This is the question.

The Sadhu community is a heterogeneous and complex one. There are various
cults or sects. There are Vairagis, Kabir Panthis, Dadu Panthis, Gorakhnath
sects, Nirmalas, Udasis, Dasanama Sannyasins who are followers of Sri Sankara,
Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sannyasins, Niranjana Akhada Sannyasins, Nagas
and others.

Rishikesh is a colony for Sadhus and Sannyasins. As this is a wonderful
charming place on the bank of the Ganga with spiritual vibrations, Sadhus
have selected this place for their Tapascharya and meditation. Ancient
Rishis lived here and did their Tapas. Uttarakasi in the Himalayas and
Hardwar are other centres where many Sadhus live.

There are two important Kshetras in Rishikesh which distribute free food
to the Sadhus. Wherever there is free food, all sorts of people flock and
put on the coloured garb of an ascetic. Hence, some sort of social evil
crops up and the sanctity of the people slowly gets spoiled. Mischief-mongers
dwell in such holy places and carry on their work vigorously.

The heads of the Sadhu sects should have an intense desire for the organisation.
Only then the work can be done efficiently. They should melt their individual
differences and opinions, sit together, and work wholeheartedly. Organisation
of the Sadhus is not an easy task. It is, indeed, a stupendous uphill work.
It will take some time before it is perfectly organised.

All the Mandaleswars, all the heads of Mutts and religious institutions,
all the reputed Sannyasins and Sadhus who exercise influence over the public
should come forward now to take up this work.

No individual Sannyasin will be able to do this work. Sri Sankara had the
help and cooperation of kings. He organised his own military force, the
Nagas, to carry out the propaganda. So also, this work demands man-power,
money-power, police-force and an army of volunteer.

Many undesirable wicked persons with brutal force live now amidst Sannyasins,
wearing the orange-coloured robe. They must be removed ruthlessly. They
create a lot of mischief. The organisers will meet with severe opposition
from these people. They must be prepared to meet such opposition. Mere
lecturing and fiery speeches will not help in the organisation of Sadhus.
We want robust, untiring, intellectual, selfless workers. We want also
help from generous-hearted, nice people. Then the work will have a successful
termination.

It is high time now. This work must be taken up at once. All religious
heads must cooperate now. Only then Lokasangraha can be done very efficiently.
Only then will there be a real spiritual upheaval in this world.

O Devas! Nitya Siddhas! Will you please enter into the hearts of these
religious heads, inspire and goad them to do this?

Sannyasins’ Noble Mission

Sadhus and Sannyasins, as a body, have a universal purpose for which they
exist. They are the custodians of the spirituality of the land and have
a definite part to play in the advancement and elevation of humanity. To
equip themselves for the noble task entrusted to their care, the monks
and Sadhus of the world isolate themselves in the beginning from the rest
of mankind as a necessary discipline. But unfortunately, we have allowed
this separation to become a permanent condition and thus, to a great extent,
the Sadhu community has come to regard itself as a unit outside the pale
of the rest of humanity struggling valiantly in the plain and in the cities.

Losing touch with others has consequently made the Sadhus forget the part
they have to play and neglect their work as educators and enlighteners
of the other three orders. We Sannyasins have once again to bestir ourselves
and commence playing our destined part in the nation’s life. We are to
be one united body dedicated to the noble ideal of exerting ourselves unselfishly
and wholeheartedly for the ushering in of the new era of brotherhood and
peace that must follow after the years of savage strife and bloodshed in
which the world is now plunged.

Every section of humanity will play its part in the reconstruction of the
new world on a worthier basis. If the new civilisation is to be an enduring
one and not merely a prelude to a bigger war, it has to be based on lasting
values of a spiritual nature. The providing of this fundamental spiritual
basis to the new humanity is the work of the Sadhus, Sannyasins and monks
of the world.

The onus of spiritualising the coming generation rests upon the shoulders
of the men of Spirit, the saints, Sadhus and Mahatmas. They should do this
without fail to keep the glorious tradition of this land and to maintain
their respected place as a useful unit of society.

The lay people always look up to the Sadhus for active guidance in matters
of moral and spiritual import. We have, therefore, to set to work by precept,
actual example and active life-work. In bringing together the saints of
the country into a united and harmonious association, let all join with
enthusiasm and help in every way to make it a thorough success. In view
of the great work that lies before us all, the Sadhus of the holy places
in India, let us start with earnestness and faith in the Almighty.

Such a Sangathan is to be a preliminary and a preparatory step for the
grander union of all the saints and Mahatmas of the world for the noble
work of Lokasangraha in the post-war world. India is to be made the glorious
Bharatavarsha of King Bharata once again and she will be the Spiritual
Mother of the world not in theory, but actually in fact. The instrument
to achieve this divine work is this selfless union.

To make itself qualified, fit and ready for the task is the initial work
of this organisation. To this end, the first measure will be to take stock
of the united strength of the Sangh. Even as was done on the eve of the
Mahabharata Yuddha, this will provide an idea of our capacities. For, verily,
we represent the force of Sattva and good for overcoming the force of Tamas
and evil that has the world in its grip today.

Sannyasins and Social Welfare

A Sadhu or Sannyasin should be invited to stay in every college hostel.
Daily he should give easy lessons to the students on ethical and spiritual
culture, and also practical training in meditation and worship. He should
teach them the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata, the Ramayana and the Upanishads.
Only then they will be properly moulded and they will possess good character.
The condition of the boys is deplorable at the Present moment. They have
lost faith in God and in the holy scriptures. They have become irreligious.
It is for the heads of committees that run the educational institutions
to give a chance to the younger generation to evolve spiritually by coming
in direct contact with the Sannyasins, by maintaining such spiritual Sannyasin-instructors.

A Sadhu or Sannyasin should be asked to visit the Government jails at least
once a week. He should conduct prayers and Kirtan among the prisoners and
make them good souls through moral instructions. People commit crimes or
thefts mainly through ignorance. If ignorance is removed through proper
training or Vidya, there will be neither criminals nor jails. We shall
surely have a heaven on earth. Will the Discharged Prisoners Associations
or similar societies look to this?

If a Sannyasin lives in a town where there is a hospital, he should be
given the opportunity to visit the patients daily and cheer them up. He
should offer prayers for their rapid recovery, and conduct prayers, Kirtan
and common meditation amongst them. He should speak to them about the immortal
and diseaseless nature of the Soul that lies within their bodies.

Much spiritual uplift which is the dire need of the day can be done, if
the above suggestions are put into effect. The band of educated Sannyasins
who are prepared to do selfless work in the world will not be wanting to
come out from their retreats into the busy world. The world has only to
recognise the importance of such a noble band in the welfare of the society.

What Is Satsanga?

1. To get oneself established in Brahman is real Satsanga. Company of the
wise is also Satsanga. Study of religious books written by the realised
souls is also Satsanga. Satsanga or association with the wise removes the
darkness of the heart, leads you to the right path and causes the sun of
wisdom to shine in your head.

2. Satsanga is association with the wise. Live in the company of sages,
saints, Sadhus, Yogis and Sannyasins; hear their valuable Upadesa or instructions
and follow them implicitly. This is Satsanga.

God and the Saint

3. God is the great purifier. A saint also is a great purifier.

4. God incarnates as saints and sages when their need is felt most.

5. God works through sages and saints.

6. God reveals Himself in a saint in His full glory, infinite power, wisdom
and bliss.

7. The saints are the heart of the Lord and the Lord is the heart of the
saint.

8. It is extremely difficult to come in contact with a saint and to be
benefited by his company. It is through divine grace only one will get
his Darshan and Satsanga.

9. Divine grace works through saints.

10. Saints are the living symbols of religion and are the true benefactors
of humanity.

11. The sage or saint or Yogi is a magnet. He is a centre of power and
wisdom.

12. A sage is a sustainer of the world. He is a source of perpetual inspiration.
He is an instrument through which divine grace is transmitted to the unregenerated
men.

13. A sage is the salt which preserves the society from decay and degeneration.

14. A saint is a beacon-light in the stormy sea of this Samsara. He prevents
many ship-wrecks in the lives of many human beings.

15. A realised sage or saint is a fountain of delight, joy and illumination.
Seek his company and evolve. Serve him with faith and devotion.

16. A sage is a fountain of spiritual wisdom. Approach him with all humility
and reverence. He will impart to you divine wisdom.

17. Learn wisdom from saints. They are your saviours. Know them to be saints
who possess godly qualities.

The Benefits of Satsanga

18. Satsanga with Mahatmas, Sadhus and the Guru plays a tremendous part
in the attainment of quick spiritual progress.

19. Satsanga is the easiest and quickest means to change the minds of worldly
persons towards the spiritual path and to thoroughly overhaul the vicious,
wrong Samskaras.

20. Satsanga elevates the mind and fills it with Sattva or purity. It eradicates
the vicious thoughts in the mind and leads to the attainment of wisdom
or Brahma-jnana.

21. Without Satsanga, this mind which is filled with worldly impurities
cannot be turned towards God.

22. Satsanga with sages is the surest Viveka-inspiring agent. Vairagya
or dispassion cannot be attained without Satsanga.

23. Satsanga removes the darkness of ignorance and fills your mind with
Vairagya or non-attachment or dispassion for worldly enjoyments. Satsanga
is the sun that dispels the cloud of ignorance. It forces you to lead the
life divine and have strong conviction in the existence of God.

24. The company of a saint remarkably hastens the growth of Sattvic virtues
in the aspirant, and gives him strength to awaken the dormant powers, and
to eradicate undesirable negative qualities and various defects.

25. Satsanga helps a great deal in the attainment of Moksha. There is no
other way. It removes and destroys the threefold afflictions. It is an
unfailing means to conquer Maya and this dire mind.

26. Satsanga is a formidable and impregnable fortress to protect the young
aspirants from the temptations and the attacks of Maya.

27. Just as a boat is the greatest shelter to a drowning man, so also,
a saint or a sage is the only shelter to the persons who are being drowned
in the ocean of worldliness.

28. Satsanga is a sentinel at the door of Moksha. If you make friendship
with him, he will introduce you to his other friends, viz., Vichara (enquiry),
Santi (peace) and Santosha (contentment) and you will attain Self-realisation
quickly and easily.

29. Satsanga is unfailing in its results.

30. Satsanga or association with the wise is the one panacea for all the
ills of life.

31. There is nothing so inspiring, elevating, solacing and delightful as
Satsanga.

32. Satsanga is the greatest of all purifiers and illuminators of man.

33. Satsanga with a sage even for a minute is much better than rulership
of a kingdom.

34. Have the company of saints who will heal your sores, infuse new life
into you, rejuvenate you, and show you the way to peace and happiness.

35. Follow the teachings of saints and sages, the perfected beings, the
seers of Truth. Attune yourself with their Spirit.

36. Life, fame, happiness, power and knowledge will increase in that man
who respects elders and saints, and with faith and devotion prostrates
before them.

How Holy Company Transforms

37. The human mind is a very receptive instrument. If you place it in evil
company, it will acquire evil tendencies. If you place it in holy company,
it will acquire divine traits.

38. Bright ideals infuse an urge to grow into their likeness. Evil examples
also have a similar effect if the mind is not guarded.

39. If you go to a sage, there will automatically come a feeling of purity
and peace within you.

40. Just as cold, fear and darkness depart from one who approaches fire,
so does weakness, worldliness and ignorance depart from him who keeps himself
near to the saints.

41. Saints at once purify those who go near them, whereas Ganga purges
the sins of only those whom its water comes in contact with in ablution.

42. Saints cleanse the sinners at once at the very sight of them.

43. The sight of a sage is delightful. To live with him is always peaceful.
To converse with him is blissful.

44. The moment the mind thinks of a sage, immediately all evil desires,
base passions are brushed aside.

45. At the time of thinking of saintly personages, the mind gets moulded
into the shape of the qualities of which it thinks, and thereby becomes
pure.

46. Meditation on the lives of saints is equal to holy company. Study of
their teachings is equal to holy company.

47. To think of the lives of saints, to live in their company, to have
the good fortune of receiving their blessings, is to draw forth upon yourselves
a shower of purity, inspiration and divine consciousness.

48. The very company of sages and saints has a tremendous transforming
effect on the lives of true seekers. It lifts them up to the heights of
sublimity, purity and spirituality. It does not fail to affect even the
rank materialists.

49. By association with saints even for a short time, the aspirants acquire
strong faith in the Lord.

50. The sage is very silent. He speaks a few words. These words produce
a tremendous impression. They give a new life and joy to all who understand
him and his message. In his presence alone all the doubts of the aspirants
are cleared, though he remains mute.

51. The company of saints generates love for God. The love for God brings
salvation.

52. One moment of company with the holy builds a ship to cross this ocean
of life.

How to Benefit from the Company of Saints

53. Jivanmuktas or the liberated sages are ever ready to help those who
are still climbing to reach the peak of wisdom. This is their work in this
world. It is the duty of the aspirants to seek their aid and have a receptive
attitude.

54. To benefit from the company of saints, you have to prepare yourself
first. Do not go with any preconceived notion or prejudice. Go with an
open, receptive mind. Go without expectations. Approach them humbly, respectfully.
Assimilate what appeals to you. If some of their teachings do not appeal
to you, do not form a hasty opinion. If you do not like them, you need
not take them to head. What may be suitable to another may not be suitable
to you. Yet, with regard to broad fundamentals, there can be no difference
of opinion.

55. One should possess the right desire to cross the ocean of Samsara and
to attain Knowledge of Brahman through Satsanga.

56. When you go before a sage, do not ask him questions out of mere inquisitiveness.
Sit in his presence humbly. Observe him. Listen to him without prejudice.
Ask him only such questions about which you really need clarification.

57. Ask him only pertinent questions. Do not draw him into politics or
public bickerings.

58. Meditate in the presence of a sage. You will get inner light which
will clear your doubts.

59. An intelligent man only will understand and realise the Truth in the
company of a sage.

Service of Saints

60. The easy way to reach God is to live in the company of saints and practise
their teaching.

61. The words of a sage enliven the heart and clear the doubts of ignorance.
Try to profit as much as you can by their instructions.

62. Without the grace of saints, you cannot know the secrets of divine
life. You can acquire their grace by sincere practice of their precepts
as well as by doing personal service to them.

63. Service to the saints is the door to Moksha.

64. It is very difficult to attain the good fortune of serving the saints.

65. Association with saints comes when the seeker is nearing his salvation.

66. The Lord is enthroned in the heart of a man who has unselfish devotion
to saints.

The Lives of Saints

67. Lives of saints are the compass-needles on your voyage to Moksha.

68. A book which treats of the lives of saints is a constant companion
and priceless treasure for you.

69. Constant study of the lives of saints will enable you to lead a saintly
life. You will imbibe their noble qualities.

70. You will be gradually moulded in the spiritual path. You will draw
inspiration from them.

71. There will be an inner urge in you to attempt for God-realisation.

72. Remember the great saints and sages. You will be inspired. They are
not dead. They are more alive today than ever before.

73. Beware of bad company; even a sober man begins to drink in the company
of a drunkard.

74. Anything that brings impure thoughts in the mind is bad company.

75. Evil company is very dangerous. It leads to the rousing up of passion,
anger, hatred, delusion, loss of memory and loss of discrimination. Therefore,
shun evil company ruthlessly.

76. The company of men who associate with women is the door leading to
worldly bondage.

The Yoga-vasishtha

Sage Vasishtha says to Sri Rama:

“Satsanga serves as a boat to cross this terrible ocean of Samsara. The
company of sages even for a moment is highly beneficial. Even the Darshan
of Mahatmas destroys sins and elevates the mind. The company of virtuous
people produces the fresh blossom of discrimination. The company of sages
wards off all disasters and destroys the tree of ignorance. Sages prescribe
the best rules of conduct for aspirants and teach them the correct mode
of life. The company of the virtuous sheds light on the right path and
destroys the internal darkness of man. The company of sages is the unfailing
means to conquer Maya and this dire mind.

“Contentment, Satsanga, enquiry and Santi are the fourfold means of attaining
Self-realisation. Those who are in possession of these fourfold means have
crossed the ocean of Samsara. ‘Contentment’ is regarded as the best gain,
‘good company’ as the right cause, ‘enquiry’ as the true knowledge, and
‘Santi’ as the highest bliss of man. All prosperity and success attend
on him who is possessed of these fourfold means. As soon as one of these
virtues is developed, it will serve to weaken the force of the faults of
your uncontrollable mind. The cultivation of virtues leads to the suppression
and eradication of vices; but the fostering of vice will, on the contrary,
conduce to the increase of vices and suppression of virtuous qualities.
The mind is a wilderness of errors in which the stream of our desires is
running with a tremendous force amidst its two banks of good and evil.

“Therefore, O Rama, control your mind bravely and develop diligently the
above fourfold means for your conduct in life.

“He who practises regularly Atmic enquiry will never be afflicted by the
pains and miseries of Samsara. He will have always equanimity of mind and
equal vision. He will be ever peaceful and joyful. Maya will never approach
him. He will ever engage himself in meditation on the Imperishable and
Self-luminous Atman.

“One should study books on Atma-jnana, keep company with the sages, develop
the fourfold means and right conduct, control the senses, and ever engage
himself in the practice of Atmic enquiry till Knowledge of the Self dawns
in him.”

Srimad Bhagavata

Lord Krishna says to Uddhava:

“I am not so easily attainable by Yoga, Sankhya or discrimination, Dharma,
study of the Vedas, Tapas, renunciation, liberal gifts, charitable acts,
rites such as Aghnihotra, fasts, vows, Yajnas, secret Mantras, resort to
pilgrimages, Yamas and Niyamas, as by Satsanga which puts an end to all
attachments.

“It is only by association with the wise and the righteous, that many who
were of a Rajasic or Tamasic nature—such as Vritra, son of the sage Tvashtri,
Prahlada, the Daityas, the Asuras and the Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Apsaras,
Nagas, Siddhas, Charanas, Guhyakas and Vidyadharas, many beasts and birds,
and among mankind Vaisyas, Sudras, women and outcastes who are of the lowest
birth, have attained Me.

“Vaishaparva, Bali, Bana, Maya, Vibhishana, Sugriva, Hanuman, Jambavan
the bear, Gajendra the elephant, Jatayu the vulture, Tuladhara the merchant,
Dharmavyadha the fowler, Kubja the hunchbacked perfume-seller, the Gopis
in Vraja, the wives of the Brahmanas engaged in sacrifices in Brindavan,
and others—all these did not study the Vedas, did not sit at the feet of
great men of learning for the sake of knowledge; they did not observe any
vows or fasts; they did not perform Tapas; but they attained Me through
the association with saints and Sadhus.

“Through love alone, developed through the company of saints, the Gopis,
and even the cows, trees, beasts, serpents, and others of dull-witted nature,
became perfected and easily attained Me whom one does not attain by making
great endeavours through Yoga or Sankhya, charity, vows, Tapas, sacrifices,
teaching and study of the Vedas, or renunciation. When I was taken by Akrura
to Mathura with Balarama, the Gopis, with their hearts given to Me through
intense devotion, were greatly afflicted at heart on account of My separation.
Nothing but Me could give them any delight or interest. For the Gopis,
those very nights which they spent like a moment with Me, their most beloved
one, while at Brindavan, became in my absence, like Yugas. With their hearts
and minds fixed on Me, through intense love and attachment, they were not
conscious of their bodies or their relatives or what was near or at a distance,
just as sages do not know names and forms in the state of Samadhi or superconscious
condition, like the rivers merged in the waters of the ocean.

“The ignorant Gopis, who were not aware of My real nature as Supreme Brahman,
took Me as their beloved paramour and yet they attained Me, the Supreme
Brahman, by hundreds and thousands, through the power of Satsanga or holy
association. Therefore, O Uddhava, abandon injunctions and prohibitions,
the course of Pravritti Karma and Nivritti Karma, what is yet to be studied
or what is already studied; rise above the rules and counter-rules. Care
not for Srutis or Smritis, for biddings and forbiddings; take refuge in
Me alone wholeheartedly and with all devotion—the Atman of all beings.
Thou shalt have no fear from any quarter, from any cause or causes.”

I owe an apology to these Mahatmas for inserting their names in this book
without obtaining their permission. I hope they will excuse me. My one
idea is that the thirsty aspirants after Truth will be highly inspired
by the mere reading of the names of Mahatmas. Sound has tremendous power
on the mind. The body goes away soon, but the name lives for a long time.
An occasional Darshan of a Mahatma, a glimpse of his face filled with peace
and Brahmic Glow, will undoubtedly inspire the spiritually hungry Mumukshus.
A man’s career takes an entire change at the simple sight of a Mahatma.
Mahatmas should not be miserly in giving their Darshan to thirsty, dispassionate
aspirants.

The two subjects, Satsanga and Guru-bhakti, are inter-connected, for in
a way, the devotion to the spiritual Preceptor is a specialised form of
Satsanga. It is a specialised and intense form of Satsanga.

Satsanga with a Mahatma and Satsanga with the Guru

Satsanga is company of the holy; it is the company of any saint, any holy
man, any Mahatma, any devotee. Satsanga, in this general sense, may be
momentary. For instance, Yatris come, people come on leave to sacred places,
and then they take the opportunity of their presence in a holy place to
meet the holy persons in that place and have the benefit of their Satsanga.
So, such kind of Satsanga is momentary in character. But, when the seeker
approaches a saint for Satsanga, and later on he establishes a permanent
relationship with that saint and begins to regard that saint as his spiritual
guide, as his Guru, then this Satsanga assumes a special aspect. It becomes
permanent, and in addition to regarding and reverencing that person as
a holy man, as a man of God, the devotee has special reverence for him
amounting to worship and adoration. And especially in India, it amounts
to worship which is given to God Himself, because deification of the Guru
is a deeply significant aspect of the mysterious relationship between the
seeker and the perfected saint through whom he is trying to attain Salvation.
So when this relationship is established with a saint, then you do that
Satsanga with intense devotion, absolute surrender and an overwhelming
spirit of dedication. You try to nullify your personality.

Only the Receptive Can Benefit by Satsanga

Of course, this has to be done when you approach any saint. If you approach
a saint and if you have to benefit by him, if you have to attain something
or gain something, you have to put yourself in the position of a receiver.
Even in the world of Vyavahara, let us suppose you wish to know something
from a highly learned person. Supposing you go to him saying, ‘I know everything;’
then naturally you will have no ears to whatever that man may have to say,
and therefore, even if you go to the highest scholar, the most learned
man, you will come back with the same old ideas which you had with you.
You would be the same man. You would not have gained even a grain of the
knowledge that he possessed, because you have never had the feeling of
inadequacy that ‘there is some void in me; let me go; he possesses that.’
Until and unless this feeling is there in a man who approaches, he cannot
be a receiver, and even though the other person is there to give in the
spirit of the giver, the man who went comes back empty-handed, because
he has not fulfilled the conditions of a receiver. It is so when you approach
any person, and it is all the more so when you approach a saint and try
to take him as your Guru. Therefore, Satsanga with a saint becomes discipleship
when the saint becomes the Guru; and you sit at the feet of the Guru in
a special sense, as a disciple.

The Basis of Guru-disciple Relationship

Now what is the basis of this Guru-disciple relationship which is held
in such great importance in the Hindu spiritual world? I give for you to
remember three words, which if you keep in mind, you can get some glimpse
of the spiritual psychology which is behind this important feature of the
spiritual life. The first word is ‘Upanishad,’ the second word is ‘Upasana,’
and the third word is ‘Satsanga.’

How do you derive the word ‘Upanishad’? It means ‘sitting near a person’
who is illumined, so that we may receive from him the knowledge which illumines
him. So it means sitting near a perfect master, a seer of wisdom, and trying
humbly to draw that knowledge from him. It is knowledge revealed through
sages at whose feet the seekers sat with devotion, receptivity and humility
and thus became receivers of that knowledge. That is the content of the
Upanishads, that which is got by sitting near a seer and learning from
him.

‘Upasana’ means, more or less, the same thing. Whereas ‘Upanishad’ is the
word which gives us the secret clue to the method of getting knowledge,
to the technique of attaining wisdom, similarly, devotion to the Lord,
worship of the Lord is described by the term ‘Upasana.’ ‘Upasana’ means
worship or adoration of the Lord and it means literally in Sanskrit, ‘having
your seat close by.’ It means ‘sitting near,’ ‘sitting beside the Deity.’
This shows the necessity of establishing a close contact with the supreme
object of worship through which you wish to derive enlightenment.

‘Satsanga’ also similarly brings out more or less identical sense. It means
‘being in companionship with Truth,’ and similarly, ‘being in companionship
with those who have attuned their consciousness to the absolute Ultimate
Reality, who have made themselves of the form of the Supreme Truth.’ Brahmavit
Brahmaiva Bhavati. A man who realises the ultimate Truth, becomes himself
an embodiment of Truth, the visible expression of Truth; and therefore,
saints and sages, men of Realisation, are the very embodiments, the very
visible expressions in manifestation, of the Truth upon which their consciousness
is for ever based. So when you have Satsanga, it means you sit in close
companionship with Truth or with the supreme embodiment of Truth which
the saint is.

These three things—Upanishads, Upasana and Satsanga—have ever been the
very sheet-anchor of our spiritual life. At the highest pinnacle, at the
very fountain-source of our spiritual culture, we have the Upanishads.
In the realm of devotion, we have Upasana. And Satsanga is a special form
which this technique has assumed in this age, in Kali Yuga. They said,
“The greatest thing in Kali Yuga and the only effective method of crossing
this ocean of Samsara, this sea of delusion, is Satsanga.” It is the boat
that takes the soul across the sea of this phenomenal existence, and therefore
great importance has been given to Satsanga, especially in this Kali Yuga.
They say, Nama and Satsanga are the two factors upon which the hope of
mankind rests. The hope of the seeker, the mainstay of the aspirant’s spiritual
life, hangs upon these twin factors of Nama and Satsanga in this iron age.
So, starting with the Upanishad, and later on coming to Upasana, this supreme
technique exists in the field of Samsaric life in the form of Satsanga.
It is of paramount importance to the aspirants in their journey towards
the Ultimate Reality.

The Importance of Right Approach

Now then, if Satsanga is the supreme factor in the unfoldment of one’s
spiritual consciousness, why is it that each and every aspirant that comes
to a Guru does not receive the same illumination and the same mark of illumination,
the same fruition of his Sadhana upon the path of Yoga? Lord Krishna lived
and had his wonderful divine life in Dvapara Yuga and He was the visible
manifestation of the Supreme Lord and among the people who constantly moved
with Him who had His company, who spoke to Him and had dealings with Him,
there were some who had the intimate knowledge of His Divine nature and
became blessed, and there were some who remained unchanged and they perished
in the great war which was Lord Krishna’s own making. What is this wonderful
thing? It is, in one word, the approach. The approach of the Jiva, the
approach of the individual soul, is the factor that decides whether the
Satsanga of a seeker becomes fulfilled in realisation or fruitless in its
barrenness. For, when the Kauravas approached Krishna, their approach was
one of Dosha-drishti. They were blind to all the good that was in the Lord
and their entire vision was focussed upon the seeming, apparent defects.
The Lord moves with His Yoga-Maya and Yoga-Maya is the mysterious indefinable
Prakriti. If our attention is focussed upon Prakriti, then the light of
the Atman is lost upon us. Christ came with his wonderful life, and there
were a handful who realised his goodness, and they have become immortal;
and lost in oblivion are the countless people who were instrumental in
crucifying Him. They saw in him a political agitator, a man who had black-magic,
a man in league with the devil. That was the view of the vast multitude
of people, and, therefore, for them the Satsanga of Christ was not there,
it was non-existent. Even so, it is the mode of approach of the soul that
decides the benefit that he can derive from the Satsanga, and we have the
classical example of the mode of approach of Duryodhana. In one instance
in the Mahabharata, the great Vyasa reveals the anatomy of Duryodhana’s
personality and, at the same time, the anatomy of Yudhishthira’s personality.

The Classic Example of Yudhishthira and Duryodhana

Krishna sends both these people upon a mission. The mission that He gives
to Yudhishthira is, “You try to go and get a man totally bad, completely
devoid of any virtue, completely full of vices;” and He calls aside Duryodhana
and says, “You try to get a person who is full of virtues, devoid of any
defects.” Both of them go on their mission, and after a period of time,
they both come back to Krishna and approach Him separately. And with each,
Krishna makes this enquiry: “Have you come back? Have you brought the man?
Where is the man you went out after?” Look at the replies. Duryodhana says,
“I have tried my best to find a man full of virtues and devoid of defects,
but try as much as I could—I have gone everywhere—I could not find a man
who was without defect. Everyone is full of defects. If he has one virtue,
he has a dozen evils. And after making a thorough search, I find that the
man without the least defect is no other than myself. I am the man, and
therefore I have come to you, and therefore do what you want with me.”
Krishna smiles and says, “This is very good. I am really glad to see a
man with all virtues and no vice.”

Yudhishthira comes and Krishna asks, “Where is your man?” Yudhishthira
answers.... his answer has become immortal; it shows the man. He says,
“O Lord, even in the worst felon, even in the man whom the world calls
the worst, I find qualities which are worthy of being emulated, I find
traits which are good, and therefore, try as much as I could, I could not
find any person who was full of defects. Each one has got some good point.
It is impossible to find a man full of defects, and I analysed myself and
I find that I am so full of defects, imperfections and vices that I cannot
find a more suitable man to present to you. I am the only person who can
fulfil the description you have given me. So I have presented myself before
you.”

Use and Misuse of the Fault-finding Faculty

These are the two methods of approach. Yudhishthira’s approach was the
approach of the aspirant in whom the fault-finding nature is directed not
outside, but within himself. Fault-finding is the worst canker that dwells
in human nature. It is universal. But then, the seekers form a special
class by themselves. They are not one among the many. They are a distinct
fraternity who have begun to see the importance of correcting oneself and
not correcting the world, who have begun to see the importance of analysing
oneself and trying to improve, and not analysing the world, for if you
are going to analyse the world, thousands of lives are not enough to find
out its defects. For a Viveki, the world is full of imperfection. Perfection
is in the Deity, in Parabrahman. Perfection is not in the work of Prakriti.
Prakriti is the very antithesis of Brahman. If Brahman is supreme perfection,
Prakriti is all imperfection. If Brahman is Light, Prakriti is all darkness.
The world of Prakriti is Apoorna, full of Doshas. Therefore, thousands
of lives are not enough if we get ourselves caught in fault-finding. So,
this faculty has to be directed towards oneself. Then only one’s life gets
transformed, and infinite scope is opened out to you to improve yourself
and become better. But, if this faculty is turned outside, the entire world
becomes to you a teacher of evil. For, that upon which you constantly fix
your mind becomes the sustenance of your personality. Your personality
feeds upon, and grows and develops into, those things whose mental pictures
the mind holds. This is a psychological fact. If you always contemplate
on perfection, if you contemplate on beauty, if you contemplate on peace,
you grow into the likeliness of perfection, beauty and peace. If you hold
before yourself thoughts of imperfection, ugliness and gloom, you will
find everything so. If you always think of the biting cold of the Himalayas,
the beauty of the snows will be lost for you. You see the beauty of the
Full Moon day, but if at the same time you are thinking of the other side
of the moon, that circle of intense blackness, blackness will be in your
mind and heart and not the radiance of the Full Moon. The fault-finding
nature is the greatest obstacle, because it for ever ties down the seeker
to his lower Prakriti, to his defective Prakriti and he takes with him
to the feet of the Guru, into the sanctuary of Yoga, into the pure spiritual
path, that nature of the mind which has made him ever tied down to the
lower sensual life of defects; and if this mind is taken to the sacred
sanctuary of Yoga, instead of becoming the receiver of light, he will become
the hugger of darkness, for he has taken hold of his Prakriti and he would
not allow himself to let go out of it, and what happens? The light of the
Guru, the light of Yoga, is completely barred out of his head, because
his impregnable wall of Dosha-drishti is within him, and-therefore, to
ward off that danger, the ancients gave him the Upadesh:

To that great soul in whom there is extreme devotion to the Highest Divinity,
God, and equal devotion to the Guru as there is to God, to that soul all
the truths of the scriptures become revealed. And therefore, deification
of the Guru has been specially put as a condition prerequisite for approaching
the spiritual preceptor in order to avoid this grave error of Dosha-drishti
in the aspirant. If this error is removed, the iron wall is removed between
the seeker and the perfected sage, and the grace of the Guru begins to
flow to the disciple. You immerse a stone in the sea for ten thousand years,
yet at the end you will find that the stone is the same stone which it
was ten thousand years ago. The millions of tons of water that flowed on
it did not change it, because it had made itself completely impervious
to the influence of water. It is this nature of the aspirant, where he
is satisfied with his own little knowledge and little personality, with
all its self-assertive nature, with all its Rajasic tendency of clinging
to its own pre-conceived notions, to its own pet conceptions—it is this
that is the greatest bar to the fruition of Satsanga into the highest Sat-darshan.
As long as the aspirant would cling firmly to his own old nature and refuse
to admit the need of a change in himself, so long the Satsanga becomes
absolutely barren of result. The aspirant must effect a change of attitude.
He must accept, “I know less, the Guru knows more; I know less, and the
saint has something to give me which I do not know.” That attitude is the
greatest requisite for the fruition of Satsanga.

The Ego and Its Destruction

Now we go to the very root of the spiritual knowledge of the scriptures.
What is Jnana Yoga? What is Bhakti Yoga? What is Karma Yoga? What is Raja
Yoga? The very root of the whole question of spiritual realisation and
emancipation lies in the theory of ignorance. They say, ignorance is the
root. How does ignorance manifest in the individual soul? As Ahankara,
as egoism. The root of the whole problem is the ego in the individual soul,
and the moment the ego is removed, whatever is shines forth in all its
splendour. That is your essential nature. That is Satchidananda. To remove
the ego is the prime purpose of all Yoga. “When shall I be free? When ‘I’
ceases to be.” When the ego-sense ceases to be, there is complete annihilation
of I-ness and mine-ness and the Jiva attains salvation. He enjoys Atmic
consciousness. Kaivalya Moksha is then and there for the being in whom
the sense of ‘I’ gets completely annihilated. It is not necessary for him
to go into a higher realm. Then and there salvation is attained by him.
The bar to Knowledge, Atma-jnana, is the ego-sense, and ego-sense manifests
variously. It manifests as ignorance, clinging to the body, ‘I am this
body,’ ‘I am the mind,’ ‘I am the senses.’ Adhyasa is the mistaken identification
of the all-perfect Self with the body, mind, Pranas and senses. So, remove
Adhyasa by identifying yourself with the supreme all-pervading Truth. Again
and again hammer into the mind the idea, “I am the Atman.” That is the
process of Vedanta. Therefore, break this aspect of ego which is there
as Adhyasa, false identification.

As emotion, as attachment (this is mine, Mama, Mama Iti) ego manifests
itself. In order to remove this manifestation of the ego as attachment,
they said, “Attach yourself to the Lord.” This is Prema Marga. Tvameva
Mata Cha Pita Tvameva, Tvameva Bandhuscha Sakha Tvameva; Tvameva Vidya,
Dravinam Tvameva, Tvameva Sarvam, Mama Deva-deva. Thou alone art everything
to me. There is no attachment for anything on this earth. All my mind is
completely tied to that which is my own, my nearest, my dearest. That is
the sublimation of the ego in its expression as attachment, as love, as
affection.

And then, this ego is also found in another aspect of personality, as superimposition,
super-arrogation, pride, taking credit for everything, Abhimana—“I have
done that, I am a master of the Vedas, I have attained proficiency in that
science.” In everything man begins to take Abhimana, and entertain the
feeling, “I am the doer, I am the possessor of everything.” Crush this
Abhimana. “I am nothing, I do nothing. Everything is being done by the
Lord. Hari is the Kartha. Everything is being done by the power of the
Lord. I am only an instrument.” Nimittamatram Bhava Savyasachin, says the
great scripture, Gita, which shows man how to act without doership and
attachment. Therefore, completely dedicating yourself to the Lord, saying,
‘I am not the doer, I am only an instrument, everything is being done by
Him,’ you should work in the world. This is Karma Yoga.

Thus, Jnana Yoga removes the manifestation of the ego as Adhyasa or false
identification, Bhakti Yoga sublimates the ego as emotion and attachment,
and Karma Yoga destroys the ego as Abhimana. What does Raja Yoga do? For
all these manifestations of the ego, mind is the root cause. Therefore,
destroy that mind. What is the first manifestation of the mind on the surface?
The subconscious mind is full of latent Samskaras. There you cannot go.
What is the prime aspect of the mind which manifests itself on the surface?
The conscious mind, the Vritti, ideation, mentation. The subtle Vasana
which is latent inside as impression becomes manifest as idea. As soon
as the idea comes, chop it off. Immediately smash it and put it down. Yogaschitta-vrittinirodhah.
Yoga is the destruction of the modifications of the mind. Completely annihilate
all the ideas that arise in the mind, and that is done by deep meditation,
complete concentration. Many ideas go on cropping up in the mind. Make
them lesser, make the field of the Vasanas lesser, and then make them into
one idea, and ultimately that idea also should go. Raja Yoga is the technique
of completely rooting out the mind, which is the field for the manifestation
of the ego in all its various aspects as Adhyasa, Mamata, attachment, Abhimana,
etc., and when the mind is destroyed, the ego will go away. That is Raja
Yoga. Asana, Pranayama, etc., are only preparations for concentration and
meditation.

So, what important truth all these things reveal? The great enemy of man
is the ego. The great enemy of man is the sense of ‘I,’ with all its countless
ramifications. Everything that holds him down to ignorance and Samsara
is nothing but the various Vikaras of the root cause, Ahankara, and all
branches of Yoga ultimately aim only at the removal of Ahankara, and Ahankara
is removed if Satsanga is carried out. Satsanga is a wonderful technique
where this root process is automatically worked out by the influence of
a higher personality, provided you have fully understood the importance
of it. Yoga means the complete pulverization and eradication of the ego
in all its aspects. Provided an aspirant approaches a sage with this knowledge,
what will he do? He will always be on the guard to see that his ego does
not assert itself. He will never do the blunder of going to the Guru with
his ego intact and clinging to it.

An Illuminating Story

There is a story of a person, a Kathavachak, doing Katha in a Durbar all
the year round. The king got interested in getting himself freed from Samsara.
He said, “He must be able to free me from this Samsara, I have got no peace
of mind. Perhaps he will give me knowledge.” On the next day he said to
the man, the Kathavachak, “I want knowledge. Give me the secret of getting
out of this Samsaric bondage.” The Kathavachak trembled in fear. He was
in a dilemma. He did not know what to do. The king said, “If you do not
free me from Samsara, your job will go and your head also along with it.”
The Kathavachak went to his house, dejected. He had a wise daughter, who
was perhaps a Yogabhrashta. She asked him, “Why are you so gloomy?” He
replied, “My child, my last days have come. The king is asking me to do
the impossible. The king asks me to give him that knowledge which will
free him from Samsara. What do I know? I do not have that knowledge myself.
I am doing Katha only, and that too to run this household. The king will
take my head if I do not give him the knowledge tomorrow.” The girl said,
“Do not worry. You go and tell the king that the answer will be given.”
He said, “All right”, for a dying man catches any straw in order to save
his life. The girl aged eight or ten years said, “Take me to the palace
tomorrow, when you go.” The father went to the palace with the girl the
next day. She asked him to start the Katha as usual. But hardly had he
proceeded with his Katha for fifteen minutes, when the silence of the Durbar
was broken by a loud wailing noise. All people were wondering who was crying.
The girl was crying at the top of her voice, “Please release me, please
release me.” She was fastening herself tightly to a pillar. All people
tried to disentangle her from the pillar, but could not; she was holding
the pillar tightly and crying, “Release me, release me.” The king got angry
and he asked, “What a silly girl you are! What do you mean? You are yourself
catching hold of the pillar and you are asking us to remove you.” Immediately
the girl burst into laughter. The king asked, “Why are you laughing?” The
girl replied, “I am laughing, because that is exactly what you are asking
my father to do. You are catching hold of the palace, you are attached
to the palace, to your property, your status, and you want him to release
you from something which you yourself are clinging to.” The king was satisfied
with the answer of the girl. He learned a lesson. A man does not get released
by another. He has to release himself.

Satsanga Becomes Fruitful Only When the Ego is Shed

You have to let go what you are clinging to. So it depends upon the aspirant
himself to let go his clinging, which belongs to his lower self, which
belongs to the old unregenerate nature. If he lets go that clinging, then
immediately Satsanga becomes fruitful, Guru-bhakti springs from that heart.
Until then, there is no Guru-bhakti, because he is devoted to himself,
he is devoted to his own little views, to his own little, so-called principles.
There is no principle. There should be no ‘your own’ and ‘my own.’ What
is Guru’s opinion, that should be your opinion. Biblically saying, “Empty
thyself, and I will fill thee.” This is the root meaning of this utterance:
empty yourself of the ego and what all it means. And what all it means?
You have the classical description: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya.
All these things have gathered round the ego. These are the spokes and
the ego is the wheel’s hub. So, first of all, you will have to give up
clinging to your lower self, your principles. You say, ‘my understanding’.
Your understanding is wrong understanding, for if the seeker had rightly
understood, he would be a saint. All understanding has to be offered to
the Guru and we have to empty ourselves and say, “Give me understanding
as you would wish me to have.” Every man has got his own notions. Right
understanding can come only from the Guru. Our wrong understanding, our
improper vision has to be removed, and as long as the wrong understanding
and vision is kept in mind, there is no room for correct vision and correct
understanding to come. Therefore they said, “Satsangatve Nissangatvam.”
Nissangatvam of what you have in your mind. It is very difficult to renounce
oneself. One can renounce wealth, wife, worldly life, property, house,
society, everything, but extremely hard, extremely difficult it is to renounce
oneself, and it is essential if the seeker has to benefit from Satsanga,
if he has to become a real disciple and develop Guru-bhakti. It is only
at the moment when you renounce yourself that Satsanga becomes effective,
it begins to operate, you begin to have contact with Truth. Companionship
of Truth comes to that man who renounces himself, because it is untruth
to consider oneself as this little self, this petty personality. The moment
he renounces this, then companionship with Truth starts. For him, Satsanga
begins. For him only, Guru-bhakti is possible.

This, in short, is the essence of Satsanga, the renunciation of one’s own
self and starting companionship of the Truth that is within us and that
is manifest as the Satguru and as the saint. As we have said, all saints
are embodiments of the Supreme Truth. Therefore, in order to live the divine
life, one has to die to one’s own self. Renunciation of the inner self,
this little petty self, is the secret of the fruition of Satsanga. Yudhishthira
had that renunciation, Radha had that renunciation, the disciples of Christ
had it. But those who do not have that, even though they live with these
Avataras, live without any fruit, because they live in companionship with
their own little self.

When the highest Truth is well said in a single phrase “Tat Tvam Asi” (That
Thou Art), where is the need for endless lecturing and hearing on spiritual
matters, and for writing and reading on the fundamentals of Sadhana?

One simple Brahma Sankalpa produced these countless universes. When the
time comes, in the twinkling of an eye, you will realise the Self and attain
liberation. While you are in a dark room, you grope in the dark and almost
endlessly search for the torch. You stumble over many things and knock
your head here and there. At last, you get the torch within your grasp.
No more of this groping in the darkness, no more trials and travails; instantly
there is light in the room. It is the search that takes a long time. It
is the preparatory step in Sadhana that takes a considerable time.

Need for Constant Light

And then, even when you feel that the Truth is within your grasp, you ought
to be vigilant, till it becomes part and parcel of your consciousness,
till you actually live in it. It is not enough if merely the light of Truth
illumines a dark corner; you must live in It. When in a room you light
the lamp, darkness vanishes; but if you put the light out, the darkness
returns. Till the sun rises, there is need for a constant flame of light
in the room to keep it illumined. Similarly, in the dark cavern of your
heart, there is a lamp lit. It is Bhakti or a little understanding of the
omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence of God. This gives you sufficient
light to see things clearly and understand the nature of this universe,
the Self and God. But, if you put this light out by negligence or wilful
indifference to Sadhana in the false belief that you have attained the
goal, you will again be enveloped by the darkness. You must keep the flame
bright till the sun of Self-realisation arises within you. Then, there
will be light and light alone everywhere. The darkness has vanished for
ever. Light becomes part of the very nature. Darkness dare not approach
you. What was Sadhana done with effort previously becomes Svabhava or second-nature
now. Bhakti is the aspirant’s Sadhana and the saint’s Svabhava. Righteousness
is the aspirant’s Sadhana, the sage’s Svabhava. At no time, therefore,
these things are given up. The aspirant studies and hears the divine Leelas
of the Lord as a necessary part of his Sadhana; the Siddha listens to them
with great joy, as he naturally loves to listen to the Leelas of the Lord.

To Keep the Mind Fully Alive to the Ideal, Read Scriptures Daily

If, for a moment, the aspirant relaxes his vigilance and falls into a spiritual
or ethical slumber, then the lower pull asserts itself, and immediately,
the allegiance shifts from the higher to the lower self. If, at that time,
he comes into contact with sensual objects, there takes place a setback
in his spiritual life. Therefore, his alert vigilance and spiritual awareness,
the state of being always awakened, has necessarily to be kept up at this
stage.

One of the ways of doing this is Svadhyaya, study of scriptures. One of
the most powerful methods of keeping the mind fully alive to the Ideal
is reading of scriptures and the lives of saints daily. For, when you read
the lives of saints and spiritual books, a host of powerful and positive
ideas rush to your mind and at once your mental powers are sharpened. They
at once inspire the man and lift him and enable him to conquer the lower
forces in his everyday life. Therefore, Svadhyaya should not be given up
even for a single day in the life of the Sadhaka.

Be for Ever a Student

Study of scriptures bearing the sacred truths propounded by men of wisdom,
and listening to the Leelas of the Lord, are never to be given up by sincere
Sadhakas, at whatever stage of spiritual evolution they may be. Are you
more advanced than Sri Sukadeva who was a born sage and Parivrajaka? Are
you more advanced than the great sages who assembled at Naimisaranya to
listen to Srimad Bhagavata being narrated by Sri Suta? Learn a lesson from
these illustrious examples of great sages. Be for ever a Sadhaka. Be for
ever an aspirant thirsting after spiritual knowledge. Be for ever a student.
He and he alone is an old man who feels that he has learnt enough and has
need for no more knowledge. He is a man dead while alive who does not feel
a compelling eagerness to listen to the stories of the Lord’s Leelas or
to spiritual discourses. You can stave off old age and even death itself
by preserving within you the youthful zeal and a devout eagerness to learn
more, to practise more, and to realise more deeply, the great spiritual
Truth which is inexhaustible, in spite of having been extolled and expounded
by millions of saints, sages and seers from time immemorial.

Svadhyaya Prevents ‘Back-sliding’

Moreover, forget not that on all sides you are surrounded by materialistic
influences. If you are slack even for a day, the evil forces around you
would find their opportunity and play havoc. The ball dropped on the top
of the staircase takes less than a split-second to reach the ground, whereas
it took much longer to take it up. In a moment of heedlessness, much could
be lost. Life is short, time is fleeting; you cannot afford to lose an
inch of the ground that you have gained with so much effort, in your battle
against this formidable foe Satan, Maya, Mara or the evil mind.

The Twin Saviours—Satsanga and Svadhyaya

Side by side with your work, you must do Japa, meditation, study of scriptures,
Sat-vichara and Sat-vyavahara. Do not let this monkey-mind have a minute’s
respite. It is here that Satsanga and spiritual-literature come to your
great aid. They are your saviours. How many sublime thoughts are brought
to your very doors by the scriptures! Study the pages of the scriptures
carefully. Underline the sentences that strike you as having a direct bearing
on your life. Reflect over them in your leisure moments. Thus would you
find that you are able to surmount many obstacles and jump over many pitfalls.
Is the mind disinclined to read these passages over and over again? That
is Maya’s potent weapon to put you to sleep. Beware! Are you not taking
the same food over and over again? You will have to go on reading and re-reading
the self-same spiritual sentences over and over again till they are indelibly
engraved on the tablet of your heart, till they become part and parcel
of your inner nature.

Repetition Augments Inner Strength

Then will a fortress of Nirodha Samskaras be erected within you. Repetition
gives strength. Repetition pushes the ideas into the innermost chambers
of your heart and mind. Then the ideas will percolate your subconscious
mind. The evil thoughts lurking there will be scorched and annihilated.
You may not even know what wonders have been effected within you. Such
is the salutary influence of repeatedly studying the same spiritual text.
That is why our ancestors insisted on our ceremoniously reading a text
like the Gita, the Ramayana, or the Bhagavata regularly every day, with
faith and devotion. They will augment your inner strength. Your will will
grow stronger. When thus the entire inner nature is transformed into divine
nature, then a single effort to meditate will lead you to Nirvikalpa Samadhi
and superconsciousness. You will then realise God in the twinkling of an
eye.